Only The Lonely
by PiedPiperOSIB
Summary: Tired of being the only un-mated member of his family, Edward decides to leave the Cullen family. Burdened by personal demons and an existence of loneliness, will Edward ever find the solace and mate he seeks? A what-if retake on Twilight canon. Vamps/AU from Edward's POV.
1. Chapter 1

Hello? Is this still on? I hope that it is and that I still have some people following me. Well, I'm back with a new story! Actually, it's not really a new story, as I started writing this years ago, and I have been adding and tweaking it ever since. This is an Edward "what if" story, in which a decision pre-dating the novels changes how the characters evolve and the ultimate story unfolds. I tried to keep this to be canon with the novels, however given very nature of the story, expect a lot of changes and surprises. This story has been a vehicle for me to explore a lot of things...some within the story and character arcs, some with my writing process. As I publish this story, I will include some of my thoughts around the story direction and the process I went through. Depending on how I dice/slice the chapters, expect this to go on for a bit. I am looking at around 70 or so chapters that I have written, spanning 1987 through 2007. My plan is to publish 2-3 chapters a week.

 _This is a Twilight inspired work of fan fiction. It is provided for entertainment purposes only. Twilight is the property of Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. The story that follows is the property of PiedPiperOSIB._

* * *

~ Syracuse, New York - September 13, 1987 ~

"Oh Emmett! Yes, right like that! I love your mouth on me! Ahhh! Don't you fucking stop!"

Rose's voice echoed through the house. I was sitting at the piano, playing some Chopin while trying to ignore the sounds coming from Rose and Emmett's room. I was also trying really hard to ignore their thoughts, which were much more pornographic. Unfortunately, I was failing at both. I glanced over at Jasper who was working hard to cancel out the lustful feelings growing within my remaining family members. He understood like no one else how difficult it was for me to be around three mated pairs of vampires. He indirectly felt each stab of jealously and loneliness coming from me as if they were coming from his own mind. Alice was usually able to warn me ahead of time so I could prepare myself, but Rose's seduction of Emmett had not been planned.

" _Sorry, brother,_ " Jasper thought, knowing I was able to read him and his struggles. " _The family is too worked up tonight_."

I nodded in acknowledgement to Jasper's admission and as tacit permission for him end his futile efforts. Without any delay, he stopped his mood control. Not a minute later, I found myself alone in the room as the two other Cullen couples had left for the privacy of their own bedrooms. Of all the things I detested about being a vampire, being the odd, seventh-wheel was what bothered me the most. I had never begrudged the others for having found their mates, or for being intimate with them. It was the vampire way. For mated vampires, sexually driven lust was more powerful than the blood driven variety. Despite my current moodiness, I was happy that all them had found someone to spend eternity with.

 _Eternity_.

How I hated what that word represented for me. I once asked Alice if she had any visions that included me finding my mate. She had not. That didn't mean it wouldn't happen, but given the current course I was on, it looked like I was going to be alone.

" _Edward!_ " Rose thought loudly between flashes of ecstasy she felt from Emmett's talented knowledge of arousing her. " _You're making it hard for me to enjoy my husband righteously fucking me with that sad-ass music of yours. Why don't you do us all a favor and leave so we can all enjoy ourselves!_ "

Without even noticing, my piano playing had turned as melancholy as my mood. Rose's cutting thoughts were not new to me, although she was the only one to ever fully voice them. I could read in the minds of my family the pity and guilt they all felt. They would never be as blunt as Rose, but I knew from past history, they would all relax and enjoy the time with their mates more if I stepped out for a hunt.

After letting out a long, useless breath of air, I stood from the piano and darted outside the house. Racing through the woods at top speed, I decided a change was needed. I was tired of being the pathetic, lonely odd-man-out. I would make today a day of rebirth for me. I would change my course. As I sped away from my family, I could just register Alice's shriek, which was then followed by her calling Rose a "nasty bitch". I was quickly out of range before I could read any more of their thoughts.

I knew my leaving would be painful for most of my family, but over time they would adjust. Just like I would adjust being away from them. I could just imagine Rose chastising my actions as me just feeling sorry for myself. I did feel a bit sorry for myself, but I also felt lighter in the hope that this new course would lead me someplace where I was at peace. Someplace where I was not so lonely.


	2. Chapter 2

~ Rocky Mountains, Colorado - 1990 ~

I drained the large buck quickly. Before it hit the ground, my body began to hum with the energy that the animal's blood provided me. I wanted…no needed to burn off some of the excess energy. Since sex was out of the question, I decided to go climbing. I launched myself up a shear cliff face. I scaled five hundred feet faster than a human could've fallen that same distance. Once I reached the summit, I sat on the edge and looked out over the vista. The Rocky Mountains were laid out before me like snow capped sentinels. I closed my eyes and searched out with my gift trying to find anyone's mind.

 _Silence_.

It had been over three months since I heard another being's thoughts. I loved the quiet and solitude afforded to me here. Over my decades as a vampire, I had always struggled hearing everyone's thoughts. The constant static of other's thinking could be near crippling at times. I had learned to focus my gift so I could ignore, but never truly block, the mental ramblings of the masses. To those closest to me, I had always harbored a bit of guilt and shame that I could not control invading their privacy. I had learned that humans and vampires alike often had thoughts that they would never act upon outside their own musings. Even Carlisle and Esme, two of the purest beings I knew, could shock me with tainted thoughts. Outside my family, it was exceeding difficult for me respect, let alone enjoy the company of individuals whose thoughts often fouled their character. Spending my time away from humans and my family has brought me at least some peace in this regard.

I pulled in a deep breath and sampled the air. It was crisp, clean, and cold. I let the breath out, and because I was nearly the same temperature as my surroundings, no steam escaped when I exhaled. I smiled to myself as the memory of Emmett's first winter as a vampire came back to me. He marveled at this simple vampire trait. He would even go so far as to suck in warm air from inside the house, before darting outside and exhaling just to see the breath escape as steam.

I missed Emmett's boyish playfulness. It was all too true that his thoughts were often less than pure, but his heart was gold. Emmett was the last of my family to attempt a visit. Six months ago he sought me out up here in the mountains. Up until that time, I had avoided the numerous attempts Carlisle, Esme, Alice and Jasper attempted to meet with me. I no longer wanted their pity, nor did I want to sit through their pleadings for me to return home. I was doing this for me. Emmett's visit was a bit different. He had just wanted to catch up and to let me know that the others would no longer try to change my mind. I hated seeing his memories of the aftermath of my departure, but they were now respecting my wishes to move on. I would always have a home with them, but I let Emmett know on his visit that I needed this separation. In return, he let me know that Alice would still be keeping an eye out with her visions. The family would only contact me if something dire was about to happen.

Emmett also apologized for Rose's behavior. She still harbored so much bitterness over her final hours as a human and the loss of human experiences she would never have. I appreciated the sentiment, but I was equally at fault. I had allowed myself to become an easy target for her wrath. Rose's acidic comments fed my own need to despise the monster I had become. Now that I was gone, she picked on Jasper the most, although he was much more enthusiastic in defending himself. The way Emmett described it, Rose and Jasper nearly destroyed the house in Syracuse during a couple of their fights. Emmett let me know that because of this destruction, the family had decided to move onto Hanover, Connecticut. I almost believed him until he faltered and a wisp of a memory, one of Alice and Esme asking Carlisle to relocate because the current house held too many memories of me in it, passed quickly through his mind.

After Emmett left, I was surprised that I did not feel as guilty as I had. I am selfish enough to have felt relieved that my family missed me. It felt good not to be easily erased from their lives. In return, I missed them all greatly too. However, I was happy to see that they truly respected my wishes for independence and have decided to move on. I still felt like I was a monster…a detestable abomination. A few years would not change that, but I had finally started to feel more comfortable with path I was on. Yes, I was alone, but I did not feel as lonely as I did when I was around my family. One day I might return, but only if I had a mate of my own to complete the picture.


	3. Chapter 3

~ New Orleans, Louisiana - November 30, 1994 ~

I stood dead still, as only a vampire could, on a secluded, third-floor balcony just off Bourbon Street. New Orleans had become my new home for the past year. After six years of shunning contact, I decided I needed a purpose to my existence. The first time I left the family, I did so to hunt, to quench my thirst for human blood. I had justified my murderous ways by only selecting the evil filth of mankind as my prey. My new purpose was still to hunt down the dregs of humanity, but instead of being judge, jury, and executioner in one, I would allow the humans to provide those services. I now used my gift to search out New Orleans undetected criminals and ensure the local authorities found them and the necessary evidence to secure a conviction. I was selective in those I targeted. Intent played heavily into my efforts. Some individuals committed crimes, sometimes heinous in nature, for worthwhile reasons. I was also careful to stay clear of other vampires in the area. New Orleans occasionally harbored a couple of my brethren, yet I was alone with my amber eyes. I did not want to interfere with their hunting activities, or enter into a territorial conflict that could raise the ire of the Volturi.

Stretching out with my gift, I scanned the thoughts of the locals and tourists partaking in a typical evening of Bourbon Street partying and debauchery. New Orleans was a prime location for my activities as so much went unnoticed. I found a couple of possible targets but neither really warranted my intervention.

" _Edward Cullen?_ "

Hearing my name in the sea of thoughts shocked me. In an instant I sought out its source. My eyes focused on figure shrouded in the shadows of a street level doorway two blocks away.

" _Ah, yes. There you are._ " The thoughts continued as our eyes met. _"I see the stories are true. You can read minds. Fascinating! I mean you no harm, Edward. I have been sent to see you by an amazing little creature, your sister, Alice._ " I stood statue still as images of Alice and…Garrett, was his name…spoke together.

"Jackson Square," I whispered into the night, knowing he would hear me clearly. Garret nodded and walked casually away.

* * *

Ten minutes later I entered Jackson Square and headed for the shadows around the St. Louis Cathedral. Garrett was on the other side of the square and approached me slowly. His thoughts were not treacherous, but rather he was worried about spooking me. When he got closer he spoke softly, but it was easy for me to hear him.

"Greetings, Edward Cullen. I applaud your meeting location. The Place d'Armes is one of my favorite locations. What a sight this area was during the Battle of New Orleans." Images of a vampire Garrett feeding amongst the colonial American and British troops past through his thoughts. His use of the square's original name only punctuated his lengthy age as a vampire. "I am Garrett. I have known Carlisle for well over a century and half, but I have just recently had the pleasure of meeting the rest of your unique family. May I approach?"

I couldn't sense any malice or threat in his thoughts, so I nodded.

"I hope you have been able see from my thoughts I truly mean you now harm. Your sister Alice sent me to seek you out. She feels we could both help each other."

In thought, Garrett ran through meeting my family outside of Hanover. He spent a week with them. It was obvious he was fascinated by our unique lifestyle. An image of Carlisle explaining that one of his family, his first sired, was away from the family. This led to Alice having a vision and her subsequent conversation with Garrett to seek me out in New Orleans. No other information was provided other than we could help each other.

"Thank you for showing me." I responded quietly. "So tell me how you think we could help each other?"

"I understand from Alice that you will be traveling north to Alaska soon."

I wasn't planning on doing any such thing, but I easily recognized Alice manipulating the situation to fit a certain vision she had hopes of being fulfilled. If my family only knew how often she did that. It was an unspoken agreement between the two of us that I would never out her manipulation, as along as the greater family good was served by her machinations. However, I really wasn't obligated to follow along anymore, so I made no comment one way or the other. I would wait to hear Garret out before deciding on involving myself in Alice's little scheme.

"I have heard stories of another golden-eyed group of vampires in Alaska. Rumor is they are blessed with a wealth of beautiful women, much like your family." Graphic images of Garrett engaged in a variety of sexual acts with all three of the Cullen women flash through his mind. I close my eyes hoping to stop the images, but I knew it would be fruitless.

"Please try to control your thoughts about my family!" I pleaded. I could tell by the tenor of the thoughts that he would never actually try any of the actions I was exposed to. They were just fantasies. However it did not make them any less disturbing.

"Sorry!" Garrett gasped as his mind shifted to game three of the 1939 World Series, specifically Joe DiMaggio's two-run home run in the third inning. A much more palatable image than Rose, Alice, and Esme engaged in a four-way with Garrett. "Carlisle warned me about tempering my thoughts around you. It must be difficult seeing everyone's innermost fantasies."

"You have no idea," I answered dryly.

"Fascinating! I can see why you are taking a break from your family. I have very little experience around the mated of our kind, and I must confess that mating seems very odd to me. The desire to spend eternity with only one female seems a bit…stifling." Garrett worked hard to control his thoughts but images of several female vampires he had previous carnal knowledge of filtered through his mind. "But I guess there are worse fates for our kind, eh?" Garrett gave me a smirk and wink. "Which brings me back full circle. I am a soldier at heart, but without a cause to champion or a battlefield to feed upon I find I am looking for other types of diversions, such as seeking out others of our kind that are unique. Besides being beautiful creatures, I believe one of the Alaskan sisters has a particularly powerful gift. I would very much like to see it first hand."

It was interesting to read his thoughts. At first I believed he was interested in the Denali sisters for the pleasure he could seek in their company, but now it was easy to read that he truly did enjoy meeting those of us that had gifts. Part of it was his military-honed personality and the subsequent need to seek out the powerful of our kind. Another part…and perhaps a bigger part…was he did this to break up the tedium of our existence. Knowing that Carlisle's family was friendly with the Denali coven seemed a convenient path to follow in his quest to meet them.

"In the family you speak of, the Denalis, there are indeed three women that consider themselves sisters. Tanya, Irina, and Kate were all changed around the year 1000 or so. Many of the human legends portending to the females of our kind being a succubus can be attributed to their fondness for human males."

"Oh, I must meet them now!" Garrett's eyes and thoughts sparkled with the possibilities of three single female vampires. He did fancy himself as quite the vampire Lothario.

I paused for a moment to decide how I wanted to handle Garrett, as well as Alice's insistence that we help each other out. It was obvious that Alice wanted me to escort him to meet the Denalis. Alice understood why I left the family and what it would take for me to return. Her interference had a purpose, and as we had come to learn in our family, one should never bet against her visions...especially if she had set her mind to making them come true.

I guess I was going to Alaska.


	4. Chapter 4

I would like to take a quick moment to thank everyone! My OG readers! My new readers! The awesome readers that left reviews! Now back to the story...

* * *

~ Phoenix, Arizona - December 6, 1994 ~

Garrett and I reached the outskirts of Phoenix just as dawn was breaking. It had been almost a week since I decided to take Garrett to Alaska. However our trip was not expedient or direct. Much to my surprise, I found I enjoyed Garrett's company. Both my vegetarian and vigilantly lifestyle fascinated him. In return, I enjoyed hearing and reading his thoughts on our existence, as well as his own history as a vampire. Changed before the revolutionary war, Garrett has seen and experienced much of America's violent past. However, spending time with him was not the only motivation for our delay.

On the night I met Garrett, there was a letter waiting for me back at my room. It was from Alice and it must have been delivered via courier, as her scent was nowhere to be found. Even after receiving it nearly a week ago, I still found myself going over its contents, hoping to glean all the things Alice did not tell me.

 _Dearest Brother,_

 _Please forgive me for contacting you. This may not be a dire circumstance, but I hope you will indulge me and read this. I also hope you will do as I ask in this letter…but more on that later._

 _Since you left I have been playing around with different scenarios all in an attempt to get you to come back home. You know how this works with me better than anyone. "I going to talk Edward into doing 'this'…I going to ask Edward to do 'that'." Most of the time my visions don't change. I know you are rolling your eyes at me right now, but I don't care. We all miss you, even Rosalie, and we want you back with us._

 _When Garrett came to visit, Emmett made the comment that it was "too bad that Edward doesn't take Garrett to meet the Denali sisters, because he needs to get himself lai…" Well, never mind the rest of his thought. I played around with scenarios of you going to Alaska with Garrett and my visions of you changed in some surprising ways._

 _So let me get to the point, I am asking you to please…pretty please…take Garrett up to Alaska, but spend some time getting to know him first. Make a road trip out of it. Things are still unclear, but after running through countless scenarios, you and Garrett need to be in Phoenix by the 6_ _th_ _of December. Something happens in Phoenix that changes everything for you. I wish I could tell you more, but once there you need to make some decisions that I cannot account for. If I get a more refined vision, I will send you another letter at one of the stops I see you two making along the way (by the way, Garrett is going to love sharing with you some of locations in Texas and New Mexico he has fought in)._

 _Edward, I hope you do not over think this letter and its contents, but I can see that you will. However, I do hope you agree to join up with Garrett for while. Regardless of whatever is to happen in Phoenix, I see you both benefiting from each other's company, so please consider it!_

 _Love always,_

 _Alice_

Alice did not say my future changed in good way, only in a surprising way. At least when I was with the family my gift allowed me to cut through her cryptic retelling of her visions. I swear she did that just so she could sound like a clichéd carnival psychic.

Phoenix created a bit of a problem for vampires with its interminable sunshine. However, the morning of our arrival we were blessed with rain, which allowed Garrett and I to move about the city without too much of an issue…except for Garrett's need for sunglasses. We entered Phoenix from the northeast, as we came from the Tonto National Forrest. We cut through the city to get our bearings. Just southwest of North Mountain, we came across a nondescript house that was for rent. I tracked down the owner and made a cash deal to rent it for the month. Garrett was amused by my need for housing, considering I spent so much time existing in wilds of the Rocky Mountains. When he wasn't prowling around, Garrett typically found an abandoned building and hid out. When I was around humans, I liked having a secure place I could retreat to when needed. This difference in our lifestyles contrasted my family centric lifestyle to Garrett's nomadic existence. However, he did enjoy having access to a shower to wash off the travel grime we had both collected.

Just as evening approached, the rain stopped. I had hunted the night before, but Garrett was getting thirsty. He had a strong sense of right and wrong, which he exercised during his hunting activities. Garrett's favorite hunting practice was to do so during wartime. Half-dead soldiers were often plentiful and he felt little remorse ending the lives of men that would die anyway. During peaceful times, he would often seek out men that had shady or criminal backgrounds and feed form them. I was surprised how similar his preferred hunting style was to my rebellious period, except he waited until after people had proven themselves worthy of execution and he showed little remorse afterwards. Part of me envied his ability to shun the guilt of taking a human life. Each and every soul I removed from this earth haunted me, despite their evil natures.

As I expected, Garrett decided to hunt. He would stalk prospects late into the night before finally selecting a victim and feeding. Shortly after Garrett left, the landlord delivered a note sent from Alice. Its contents were direct, to the point, and unsettled me greatly.

 _E,_

 _December 10th at 8:07pm, go to Cactus Road and 58th Street. Bring Garrett!_

 _I'm hesitant to say more except that I'm sorry for what may occur and what you will go through. Just promise to remember you are a Cullen._

 _Love,_

 _A_


	5. Chapter 5

~ Phoenix, Arizona - December 10, 1994 ~

Alice's short letter rocked me to my dead core. I had allowed myself to hope that our side trip to Phoenix was so I could find my mate. Why else would Alice send me here? It was her last sentence that vexed me greatly.

 _"Just promise to remember you are a Cullen"_

What hell is that supposed to mean? My only guess is that it had to do with bloodlust. I haven't been really tempted by human blood in over two decades. Being around humans, a vampire has to deal with the constant scraping of skin, shaving nicks, paper cuts, and thousands of other ways the human body could leak blood. In other words, being around humans meant being around the scent of blood constantly. Unless I was forced to bath in it, I could not comprehend how my thirst would be an issue. However that did not stop me from gorging myself on several bobcats and a mountain lion overnight.

At 8:00pm I headed out. Within a minute I was at the address Alice had provided. Garrett was already there, having scoped out the surrounding blocks as soon as the sun started to set. My body was humming with anticipation and…fear. Neither of these emotions were common for vampires. Being the alpha predator on the top of the food chain meant most new experiences were met with a good measure of apathy. However, tonight I was on edge, reaching out with my gift for any odd thoughts that would signal trouble.

"Easy, my friend. I won't let do anything against your adopted Cullen name." Garrett's outward appearance was calm, but his thoughts betrayed the excitement coursing through him. Judging by the heat building in his throat and the venom pooling in his mouth, he would be hunting after tonight's events.

Besides the cars passing by, the only other notable human activity appeared to be from the dance studio situated on the corner. At 8:07pm, the doors of the dance studio opened. We were downwind of the studio. A second after the doors swung open, hell descended upon me. My nostrils flared as the most tantalizing scent assaulted my senses. As a group of parents and kids filed out of the building, the scent grew to nearing maddening proportions.

"What is it, Edward? You're looking absolutely feral!" Garrett's voice registered in the back corner of my mind, but it was easily ignored.

As the last parent and child filed out of the dance studio, a low, sinister hiss escaped my throat. The source of the most deliciously addictive scent was before me. I slowly stalked through the shadows focusing every bit of my talent on the woman. I knew blood would be shed and I welcomed the heinous act with open arms. Every dead cell in my body screamed for me to drain the sweet nectar from the human. I could feel Garret's arms as they wrapped around me like steel bands, trying in vain to stop my approach. Grabbing his wrists, I pulled his arms away with all my bloodlust-fueled strength. I barely registered the separated hand in my clutches or Garrett's profane curses over his lost appendage.

As I got within yards of my prey, I registered that this most glorious scent was not from the woman, but the child. I had never taken the life of a child. This complication caused my laser focus to falter just enough for me to comprehend the words coming from the mother and child.

"Mom! I left my Santa scarf inside. I need to get it! Without it Santa won't come this year!"

From the mother escaped thoughts of the little girl sleeping near a gaudy aluminum Christmas tree. A red knitted scarf with a crocheted Santa Claus was wrapped around her neck and gripped tightly in her hands.

"Okay, sweetie. Lets go back and get it." The mother turned to enter the studio, but the little girl set her shoulders and stomped her foot.

"I can get myself, Mom! I'm a big kid now!" A beat later the girl marched determinedly into the dance studio leaving the mother alone on the street corner.

"So damn independent and stubborn…just like her father!" The mother whispered into the night. Images of a young, dark haired man in a police uniform flitted through her mind before the woman remembered that she needed to go Christmas shopping for the little girl. Images of the pink character from the Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers and Magic Eye Pictures puzzles dominated her scattered thoughts.

With the little girl inside, my sanity was able to beat back the bloodlust just enough for me to take a couple steps backwards. Her scent still hung heavy in the air. Instinctively, I followed the sound of her beating heart as she searched for her scarf. The rhythmic pulse of her blood thundered in my ears, as venom flooded my mouth. The need to drain the petite creature was as powerful as any drug-fueled addiction I'd seen in countless human thoughts. Her blood was heroine to me. I kept my eyes focused on the dance studio door as I waited for her to exit.

I took another deep breath and fresh air now diluted her siren's scent. I slowly started to recognize that Garrett's mangled arms surrounded me again. His voice broke through the little girls heartbeat like unwanted static, but my consciousness grabbed onto and processed a few of his words.

"...you're a Cullen"

"…she's your Singer"

"…can't kill an innocent child"

His last words made my eyes leave the door and look upon the girl's mother.

 _"innocent child"_

The realization that I was about to happily and greedily kill a human child…take a truly innocent soul, took hold. The shaking that had taken over my body since the moment the studio door opened stopped. I allowed Garrett's other words to sink in.

 _"Singer"_

The girl was my singer. Her blood called to me stronger than any siren's deadly serenade. The phenomenon was rare, but very real. The only other Cullen to have experienced it before tonight was Emmett. In a blink of an eye, he viciously drained a woman whose only crimes were her poor timing in hanging her laundry out and having blood that sang to Emmett. There was no shame, no guilt, in murdering your singer. The strongest of my kind always succumbed to its devilish pull.

Murdering a child, singer or not, was a different story. Truth be told, her being a child was not enough to block the call of a singer's blood. It was _this_ child that made the difference for me. In the few seconds that reason started to filter back into my thoughts, I could feel my desires start to shift. Her scent still maddened me and I still wanted to drain her until she was a hollowed out husk. However, with each ragged breath I took I also found I wanted to protect her. Protect her from me.

The sound of the studio door opening came too soon. My tenuous control started to crumble as the girl skipped to her mother. The much sought after Christmas scarf was looped around her neck. Garrett's hold still held me in place, but my struggle to get free was half-hearted at best.

"I found it Mom!" The girl's voice and accompanying giggles rang throughout the air.

"Oh, I'm so glad, sweetie! Lets go get some dinner."

The mother and child started to walk away. With each step away from me I rejoiced. She would be safe from me. She would live to see presents under her Christmas tree this year. Once the tension poured out of my body, Garrett released his hold and I slumped against the building.

"She found her scarf," I whispered.

"What?" Garrett asked incredulously.

"She found her Christmas scarf. It made her happy." I responded flatly. I'm not sure where the words were coming from, but at that moment they were what meant most to me.

Garrett shook his head in amazement, before retrieving his severed hand.

"Help me re-attach this, " he grunted, "then I'm going for a hunt."


	6. Chapter 6

PSA! THIS CHAPTER HAS A TRIGGER WARNING! If you are sensitive to sexual assault/rape, you may want to skip 2 sequential paragraphs in this chapter. I have marked the start and end of these paragraphs so they may be easily passed over. Please note, that no actual assault or rape occurs directly, but a reference is made to a previous, as well as a planned act. Also, please know that I abhor assault/rape of any kind, and that I believe there is a special part of hell reserved for people who commit such crimes. In researching actual Phoenix criminal activity for this story, I came across a terribly sad and disturbing case regarding a mother and child that was preyed upon on their way home one night. The case went unsolved and the sick bastard was never caught...or was he? All I want to say is that I needed justice to be served.

* * *

~ Phoenix, Arizona - December 10, 1994 ~

Garrett groaned in pain as I held his arm and severed hand together. The sickening screech of his granite flesh fusing itself back together echoed in the alley. Less than a minute later, he was able to flex his fingers and turn his wrist again. As he worked out his hand motion, I slumped down to the pavement with my head in my hands. The weight of tonight's actions began to weigh heavily on me.

 _I almost killed a child! Monster is not a strong enough word for what I am. Demon! That's what I am!_

"Over two hundred and thirty years as an immortal and that is first time I have lost a body part." Garrett paused to flex his hand into a fist several times. "I would love to see you in a full-on fight, Edward. You would be fierce with your speed, mind reading, and a grip strong enough to sever our flesh. In a battle you truly cared about, not many of our kind would be able to stop you."

I looked up at Garrett. His expression cocked in challenge, so I took the bait.

"What?" I asked. Even though his thoughts were clear, I wanted to hear him say the words.

"Edward, do you think I could've stopped you if truly wanted to get to that child? She was your singer. There is only one vampire on this planet that could have stopped you from killing her." I flinched at his thoughts of me sinking my teeth into the young girl's throat. "That vampire is you. From the moment you smelled her, you stalked her, slowly. Something inside you wanted that girl to live, because if you really wanted her blood, you would've had it. Believe me, I know."

Images of Garrett killing a female nurse during the American Civil War Battle of Gettysburg passed through his mind. His regret and sorrow were profound and so unlike any of the other feelings he had regarding his victims. Garrett had become accustomed to my mind reading during our short time together. He voiced his next statement in his mind as it was too painful for him to vocalize.

" _My singer was the only woman I have ever killed, and my only true innocent victim. The instant I smelled her, I was upon her. A few short beats of her heart later, she was dead. It is the only thing I am deeply ashamed of in all existence._ "

From his thoughts I could sense the desperate pull he immediately felt to the woman's scent. It was almost like what I had just encountered, but mine was stronger because I did not end my prey quickly like he did. I had allowed the girl's scent to saturate my senses, heightening the addiction and baking my throat with heat and venom.

Before I could process more of his memories, the thoughts of another invaded my mind.

*** TRIGGER WARNING - START ***

" _Damn, it's dead out tonight. No young sluts anywhere. I might have to settle for one of the bitches from the dance place down the street. She won't be as tight as some young teen pussy, but her screams as I fuck and cut her will still sound good. Maybe I could find one with a kid old enough to have some fun with too. Hell, they're all fun!_ "

I snarled as the stranger's thoughts moved on to some if his previous conquests. Specifically, he focused on a woman similar in age and look to my singer's mother. He dragged her and a child into an alley. He raped and then killed the mother with a large bowie knife. The young boy, her son, sat frozen in fear as he watched the life fade from his mother's eyes. Then the sick bastard attacked the boy next, before ending his suffering with the same knife that took his mother.

*** TRIGGER WARNING - END ***

Before the sick, demented memory had ended, I was already chasing after him at my full speed. A stunned Garrett struggled to keep close, but I was much faster than him. The murdering rapist was heading in the same direction as the mother and my singer had walked. The thought of this demon finding my singer and hurting her was too much to bear. Somehow in the few minutes that had past since I initially caught wind of my singer's scent, I had gone from killer to protector. I vowed to end this sick fucker's life before he would keep my singer from snuggling under the Christmas tree with her scarf this year.

Finding him was not hard given how loud his thoughts were. I approached at top speed. The smell of alcohol and cocaine dominated his vile scent. He rounded a corner spotting a woman up ahead of him a block away. Thankfully it was not my singer and her mother, but he had already singled the woman out as his next victim. I caught up with him two steps later.

Grabbing him from behind, I tossed him twenty yards down a small side street. I could've caught him before hit the ground, but I wanted him to suffer. I couldn't help the satisfied grin on my face as his bones cracked and broke upon his impact with the asphalt. Before he could make his first cry of pain, I grabbed his throat and crushed his larynx with the slight twitch of my thumb. A pained gargle, that signaled blood flooding into his lungs form his wounded throat, was the sound of justice to me. I pulled back my other hand to deliver the deathblow. There would be blood spilled tonight, just not my singer's. Before I could strike, Garrett gently grabbed my extended arm. I glared in anger toward him, but his quiet thoughts hit their mark.

 _"Remember who you are, Edward. Think of what Carlisle would want you do."_

"But you don't know the horrors this man has done!" I spat. "Or what he was planning to do tonight! He deserves his death." I hiss back at Garrett.

 _"You are no longer that man that extracts revenge in the name of self-imposed justice. Let me have him, Edward."_

Garrett eased him from my grip before speaking out loud so the man could hear.

"I on the other hand do not have any moral conflict with the revenge and suffering of the underserving." In a quick movement, Garrett twisted the man to expose his throat. This action broke his prey's back, but the effects barely register before Garrett plunged his razor sharp teeth into the man's flesh. After Garrett was sated, he mutilated the body to hide any evidence of vampire involvement and tossed the bastard's remains into a nearby dumpster.

After wiping his mouth on his sleeve, Garrett put an arm around my shoulder and led me away.

"See, two birds killed with one stone. Tonight you would've celebrated his destruction by your own hands, but tomorrow or the next day, his death would have weighed heavily upon you shoulders."

"And what was the second bird slain with the stone?" I ask.

"I got to feed, of course," he said with a smirk on his face.


	7. Chapter 7

~ South of Denali National Park, Alaska - December 12, 1994 ~

Before meeting with my Denali cousins, I decided to hunt. It didn't matter to Garrett or I that frigid winds and snow ravaged the landscape of the Alaska tundra, but the extreme weather restricted the available animals. The largest of the native predators, the bears, had already been hibernating for a couple of months, but there were plenty of wolves. They were hungry too, just like us. Most of the wolves were smart enough to avoid Garrett and I, but a few desperate ones would come close. I was torn between making the easy kill on the ones that trailed us, and seeking out the ones that ran away. I hoped the illusion of a challenge would make their gamey blood a bit tastier for Garrett.

"If you're going to make me quench my thirst on mutts, at least lets make it interesting," Garrett said, breaking our silence.

I gave him a nod before we speed off in search of the wolves that wanted nothing to do with us.

* * *

Garrett's first foray into my vegetarian lifestyle had been amusing. I had suggested he try my way of hunting before meeting the Denalis. It would be more respectful of him if his last meal were not human. His eyes would still be red, but his smell would not remind them of what they had decided to abstain from.

As I expected, he was not too wild about the flavor. Wolf was gamey. However, he greatly enjoyed the actual hunt. Unlike humans, who were largely predictable, even for a non-mind reading vampire, the actions of predatory animals were not easily anticipated. Several times Garrett had lunged for a wolf only to have it dart off in a different direction. For a vampire, even the slightest challenge made the hunt worthwhile.

Afterwards, we both sat under the cover of a thicket of black spruce trees.

"Those wolves are crafty little creatures. If only humans offered such sport." Garrett mused.

"I think you would like bears. They taste much better. They are Emmett's favorite by far. Plus, in the spring, they are exceptionally ornery. No real match for us, but at least they try to put up a fight. Personally, I like the big cats. They're lithe and fast, and even more unpredictable than the wolves. And it doesn't hurt that their flavor is my favorite. Don't get me wrong though, the taste will never compare to a human's."

We spoke a bit more about my family's vegetarian lifestyle. After a long pause I decided to bring up a topic I had been interested in Garrett's input on.

"Garrett, what is you feeling on vampires having souls."

Garrett thought about my question for a moment. He had actually given the topic a fair amount of thought during his existence. For him it depended on the vampire in question. I really didn't need for him to vocalize on the topic as I had already seen his beliefs, but he wanted to discuss the subject and I was more than happy to oblige.

"I don't believe becoming what we are removes the soul from the person, Edward. I think it is what the person does, whether they are vampire or human, that defines the status of their soul. I also do not subscribe to the notion that our existence is founded on something evil. I believe that many millennia ago, the human path diverged…mutated. On this new path we evolved. Our existence is quintessential Darwinism. I suspect in the future the human or vampire path will diverge again and we will no longer be at the top of the food chain. History has proven this to always be the case."

I raised my brow over his decidedly modern and analytical response.

"What? Just because I choose to live a nomadic existence does not mean I am not well read on current theological and scientific theories." Images of Garrett breaking into various libraries to read the books were provided as evidence that the man before me was more than what he appeared. "Now I have one for you, Edward. You had mentioned that in you human life you wanted to be a solider."

"I did. If I had been old enough, I would have joined to fight in the Great War."

"Would it also be fair to say that you carry a lot of guilt regarding the human lives you took when you left your vegetarian ways?"

"I do." I hung my head, as there was really nothing more to say.

"Edward, I've spent my existence, both human and vampire, around war. Besides offering a plentiful bounty of feeding options, it has allowed me to observe the battle between good and evil played out thousands of ways. I have seen men killed both savagely and honorably. I have seen women and children slaughtered because soldiers were ordered to use them as human shields to protect cowardly officers. I have seen a single man give his life to save a squadron of twenty. I have also seen thousands of collateral deaths on both sides of a battlefield, all because each side would rather fight to the death instead of listening to reason. Each side of a war views the other as the evil one, however both sides commit the same brutalities and atrocities. Demons and saints...there isn't much of a difference between them, especially when both sides believe their fight is honorable or that God is with them. It all in one's own perception."

"I never thought of it in those terms before." I paused as his words took hold. His logic wasn't without its flaws, but I could see in his thoughts it wasn't about absolutes, but about intent. "I always considered the life of a soldier as an honorable one." I paused again as I thought about how easily I would have accepted murdering my enemy because he was willing to do the same to me. I knew I would not have harbored guilt for such an act. "You're right, I have seen it in their thoughts. Regardless of their loyalty, many believe they were acting justly. How can God punish one side of the battlefield but not the other if both sides feel their motivations and methods are righteous, not only in their own minds, but their god's as well?"

"Along those same lines of fairness, my friend, how could a person become damned just for being changed into a vampire? It is what you do that compromises or strengthens the soul. Think of your sire, Carlisle. He endeavors to be the best of men. Not the best human or the best vampire, just the best man he can be. No one without a good soul could do that."

Garrett paused and placed his hand on my shoulder.

"Likewise, Edward, your actions in Phoenix prove the existence of your soul…and that it is a good one. You struggle against our natural instincts and feed off animals. You allowed your singer to walk away unharmed, which I'm still amazed over! You have used your gift to rid the world of some truly horrific monsters. The murderous rapist in Phoenix, he was a true demon. You have saved countless lives and the needless suffering of their family and friends by your actions. Not only in Phoenix, but every time you stopped someone from committing those atrocities. Furthermore, someone damned, someone with a fouled soul, would never feel guilt like you do. You are not perfect, my friend, but perhaps you were given this life and your gifts for a reason. You have worked hard to control what you consider to be the monster inside you, but I don't think you will be able to relieve your burdens and find the peace you seek until you embrace the inherent good inside you as well."

Garrett's thoughts echoed his words. He truly believed we were a natural phenomenon, a simple byproduct of evolution. Likewise, he believed actions defined the goodness of a person. He reserved assigning damnation until the person ultimately left this earth. Just like Lady Justice and her scales, when you reached the very end of your existence, a judgment would be made. All acts, all intentions, all derived outcomes, all the lives changed or lost would be weighed. Those persons with a heart that is more good than bad will get rewarded. The others won't. It was just that simple for him.

Garrett never tried to fight his vampire nature. He embraced the demon and the soldier within him, balancing his natural needs against his own derived honor. He fed from humans, but overall most them were either dying on the battlefield or ones he deemed unworthy. He truly felt the scales would tip in his favor because of the choices he had made. I hoped, for his sake, that he was right.

Garrett unnecessarily cleared his throat. "All this talk has made me thirsty again." This time his thoughts betrayed him. He had said his peace. It would be up to me to ponder and analyze our conversation. His mind was set on the matter. Now he wanted to move on and meet the Denalis. "Lets have a go at some more wolves, then I believe it will be time for you introduce me to your cousins."


	8. Chapter 8

~ Outside Denali Residence, Alaska - December 13, 1994 ~

"Hello, Edward!" Eleazar called out as he and Carmen walked down the path towards Garrett and I. In a flash they were in front of us and Eleazar shook my hand. "It is so good to see you my friend. It has been too long."

Carmen reached up and kissed my cheek before giving me a strong hug. "It has been too long, Edward." Carmen's Spanish accented voice was soft and sincere.

Behind me Garrett smiled has he took in our reunion. In his thoughts he secretly wondered what it would be like to be part of coven or family, instead of a lone nomad.

"I'm sorry." I apologized as Carmen released me. "Eleazar, Carmen, may I introduce Garrett. Garrett, this Eleazar and Carmen Denali, my cousins as it were." I could see from their thoughts our visit was not a surprise as Carlisle and Alice had called them yesterday to advise them of our visit, I just hoped they did not mind me bringing Garrett. Turning towards Eleazar and Carmen I added, "I hope our impromptu visit isn't too much of an imposition?"

"Not at all, Edward. Carlisle let us know of your visit and that you would be bringing along a friend." Eleazar reached out and shook hands with Garrett. "Welcome to Alaska, Garrett! As a friend of Carlisle's I am sure we will all become fast friends as well."

After Carmen and Garrett exchange similar pleasantries, we started walking towards the main house. Eleazar and Garrett walked together while he explained the size and amenities of the Denali's Alaskan home. Carmen looped her arm through mine, her thoughts giving away the reception waiting for us at the house.

" _Edward_ , a _s you can see from my traitorous thoughts, the girls have been excited for your visit. Especially, Tanya. I cautioned her to take it easy on you, but she has been smitten with you for quite a while. Ever since she heard that you left Carlisle and Esme on your solo adventure, she has hoped you would come visit us…come visit her._ "

I couldn't help the un-gentlemanly groan that escaped my throat. The idea of warding off Tanya's advances made me want to turn around and head south, leaving Garrett to fend for himself. Carmen giggled at my reaction.

 _"It won't be that bad, Edward! Regardless, there are worse tortures are there not?"_

Before I could respond, we were at the back of the house. Garrett laughed and shook his head at the elegant log-framed structure before him. "The Cullen's and your coven's affinity for maintaining homesteads amazes me. Such a strange existence for a vampire."

"We enjoy it here in Alaska," Eleazar responded. "We've lived here for the better part of fifty years. Having a permanent residence…well, I guess that is why we consider ourselves a family rather than just a coven. We all like having a place to call home." Eleazar glanced at me as he referenced having a home. "There is a varied and plentiful supply of animals to choose from. Also, the human population is sparse, which keeps others of out kind away. Our kind's normal feeding habits would draw too much notice out here. We have been able to live in anonymity because we do not draw attention to ourselves." Eleazar looked directly at Garrett has he finished his speech.

Garrett laughed loudly and patted Eleazar on the back. "Is that your way of warning me not to snack on the neighbors while I'm here?" He laughed again. "You have nothing to fear. Edward has been kind enough to educate me on the vegetarian lifestyle." Garrett turned towards Carmen and Eleazar, his expression and thoughts both sincere. "You have my word, I will not feed from a human while I am here. However, I might need to try something else other than wolf, that was a bit nasty tasting."

"Wolf! Shame on you, Edward!" Tanya's voice carried out over the rear balcony of the house where she stood with her sisters. "You know even Carlisle and Esme can't stand the taste of wolf. Nasty tasting indeed!" A moment later the Denali sisters had come down to meet us. Tanya extended her hand to Garrett. "Hello, I'm Tanya. These are my sisters Irina and Kate."

Garrett greeted each sister, but his gaze stopped on Kate. Kate had her head cocked to one side taking in his roguish appearance. Both of their thoughts were similar.

 _Intrigue. Curiosity. Beauty. Lust._

It only took a moment more for me to realize what was happening between the two of them.

"I am most pleased to meet you, Kate." Garrett and Kate shook hands; however afterwards, Garrett did not release Kate from his grip. "I have heard that you and your sisters were unmatched beauties. I can testify that the rumors have not done you justice. You are truly stunning." Garrett raised Kate's hand to his lips and applied a tender kiss upon it.

"Oh, he's a smooth one!" Irina snarked.

Eleazar called out to me with his thoughts. " _Edward, did they…are they…mates?_ "

I nodded slightly as Tanya gasped. Her thoughts came to the same conclusion. Kate glanced between Garrett and the stunned vampires staring at them. Her hand was still in Garrett's grasp. The shock of what was happening to her triggered her talent. Before Kate could stop the surge of energy, Garrett cried out in pain. He quickly dropped to his knees before Kate pulled her hand away.

"I'm sorry!" Kate cried. "I…you…I couldn't stop it!"

Garrett shook off the effects of Kate's gift. Instead of anger, mirth danced in his eyes. "You are the most amazing creature! Where have you been all my existence!"

Kate reached down to help Garrett up. He tentatively touched Kate's hand to see if it was still electrified. Once he was satisfied that he would not be shocked, he wove his fingers with hers as he stood.

"Why don't we head inside," Carmen asked the group.

"You go ahead," Kate responded before turning to Garrett. They both now understood what was happening between them. "Garrett, take a walk with me."

Garrett looked down at their tangled fingers and nodded.

As they walked off together, Garrett could not look away from Kate.

" _Fascinating!_ " he thought. " _I will follow this woman anywhere._ "


	9. Chapter 9

~ Denali Residence, Alaska - December 13, 1994 ~

Garrett's observation on our desire to behave as humans had been appropriate. Inside the Denali house we settled in the great room like a typical family of humans. A large stone fireplace dominated one wall. Inside it, a fire crackled and warmed the air. No one in attendance needed the heat, but we all appreciated the ambience it provided and how it made us seem normal.

Several hours passed as we engaged in small talk covering everything from how life had been in Denali to my solo adventures, including some of what happened in Phoenix. Carlisle and Alice had already given them an overview of what happened, so I choose not to elaborate on it beyond what they already were told.

Outside we heard the return of Kate and Garrett. Kate called out for the girls, who all looked to another before excusing themselves. Eleazar looked to me for an explanation. I listened to Kate's thoughts and smiled.

"It appears, Eleazar, that there will be some changes to our sleeping arrangements. Kate and Garrett are both moving into the guest cabin and I am being moved into the main house here."

Eleazar nodded. "I see. I need to ask you, Edward. Is he a good man? Kate deserves a good man."

"I have only spent a few weeks with him, but I believe that he is. As it seems he will be spending some time here, I will let him tell his stories."

"What about his diet, Edward? I appreciate him trying our lifestyle, but living it is much different. I don't want to loose Kate, but we can't put the humans around here at risk."

Thoughts of Carlisle and the lifestyle he introduced to Eleazar and Carmen floated through his mind. The toll of taking human lives still weighed heavily upon him. During his time with the Volturi the amount of lives lost had been staggering. He hadn't known of another way of surviving until Carlisle came along. He would, of course, allow Kate to choose her own path, but if she choose to follow Garrett's lifestyle, they would have to leave.

"I don't know, Eleazar. They have been engaged in more intimate pursuits." I pinched my brow, as I had no desire dwell on what I read in their thoughts. "As you know, a vampire will do anything for his mate. Jasper converted, maybe Garrett will as well. Too bad Carlisle is not here, he and Garrett have some history and Carlisle can be very persuasive."

"I know," Eleazar sighed. "I have never sensed any formal gift in Carlisle, but he is truly a unique vampire. His belief that we can rise above our base instincts is contagious. Besides finding my Carmen, his friendship and guidance has made this family and this home possible."

He was sad over the idea that he might lose Kate to Garrett's nomadic ways. However, my short time with Garrett taught me that he enjoyed being challenged. I suspected he would make a go of our lifestyle, especially if Kate wanted him too.

Tanya walked into the room shaking her head. A vision of Kate with wild, post-sex hair and a wide smile dominated her thoughts. "Kate would like to speak to you and Carmen, Eleazar, and I would like to have few words with my cousin."

With a nod, Eleazar excused himself, but not before mentally apologizing for leaving me alone with Tanya.

"Lets take a walk of our own, shall we?" Tanya asked, but she did not wait for an answer as she me pulled up and out of the house. "I found a place I think you will like," she cooed. "Lets go."

Tanya mind flashed to a stony ledge that overlooked a wooded valley with Mt. McKinley rising up in the distance.

"I'll be good. I promise. I just want to talk. Unless of course you would rather we do something other than talk?" An image of me lying naked on the forest floor with an equally naked Tanya astride me, writhing in pleasure assaulted my mind.

I closed my eyes and I shook my head.

"Sorry, being around Kate has got me worked up a bit." She spoke her apology aloud, but her thoughts told me she wasn't sorry at all. Tanya had never been shy about showing me what her desires were. She played out the scene a bit longer in her mind, before she focused on the view she wanted me to see. "Shall we go?"

I nodded and we both ran off into the forest.

* * *

After we arrived at Tanya's destination. We settled down on the stone ledge and looked out onto the valley below. We sat in silence for a while, before she finally spoke.

"I can't believe you met your singer in Phoenix." She looked closely at my eyes. "It's amazing, I don't see a hint of red in your eyes. The last time I slipped my eyes had a reddish tint for weeks."

"I didn't feed from her."

"What?" Tanya eyes were wide with astonishment. I shook my head. "Impossible! I've never heard of such a thing. Did Garrett stop you? I didn't realize he was that strong."

"He tried to stop me, but ultimately I just couldn't do it. My singer was a female child. At first I wanted to drain her, but as the moments passed, the need to protect her outweighed the bloodlust."

Tanya's thoughts went muddy as focused hard on a single leaf on a tree one hundred yards away from us. I knew over the years she had been practicing hiding from me. Her goal was to keep her seduction plans a secret. Alice could also occasionally do it as well, however Alice's way was to recite popular verses backwards and in some exotic tongue. Tanya's thoughts just became muffled as she focused intently on some object. I could grasp the tenor of her actual thoughts, but the detail was sketchy. Her blurred thoughts told me she was jealous, but nothing else. I couldn't help feeling a bit smug, because Garrett was jealous of my control as well.

"I see." was her only verbal response.

I quickly decided to change the subject.

"It looks like I lost a traveling companion, and you and Irina lost a single sister." Tanya pushed away her current thoughts and focused on the new direction of the conversation.

"I believe so, but I am happy for them. Funny, I always thought Irina would mate before Kate or I." Tanya paused for moment before taking my hand in hers. She thought briefly about my singer in Phoenix before gathering her resolve. "Why don't you stay awhile, Edward? I know we are not mates in the truest of ways, but I believe we can be very good for one another. I don't see that finding a companion and enjoying one another is a terrible alternative. Why can't vampires share closeness and intimacy without the mating bond? You don't have to be alone, Edward. We could both have each other."

I didn't know what to say. Normally Tanya's advances have always been sexual. But her thoughts were now much different. She envisioned us as a couple beyond the bedroom. She wanted us to be companions and lovers. Her idea did have a certain appeal to it. It was what I imagined when I thought of having a mate, but my feelings for her, at least romantically, would always be forced, if not faked. Plus, what happened in Phoenix changed me somehow. For the longest time I felt my lack of mate was because I was not worthy of one. A monster is not supposed to find happiness. However, after my talk with Garrett I was starting to believe maybe he could be right. Maybe I am worthy of the kind of happiness the mated couples in my family shared. Something in me was good enough to stop myself from killing the girl in Phoenix. Experiencing Garrett and Kate mating only reinforced that, maybe, there was someone out there for me. Perhaps, I could be worthy of such a gift.

Tanya waited patiently for my answer. She schooled herself not to think or feel anything, but it was easy to tell she was anxious and scared. It had been easy for me to turn down her sexual advances, but this was different. Tanya wanted this. She wanted an "us" beyond just the physical pleasures we could provide each other. Unlike my other rejections, this one would hurt more than her pride. For that reason alone I could almost agree to it, but I had to remember why I left my family to begin with. The path I took was for me. It was so I could grow and change…it was so I could find my own happily ever after. Entering into a relationship of convenience with Tanya was not the path I set out on. Ultimately, it would not be fair to her and it would not be fair to me.

"Tanya, I don't think I am capable sharing that kind of life with anyone but my mate. I love you, but as family. Look at what happened today with Kate. Someday, I hope that will happen for all of us. Maybe I have been around mated couples too much. A relationship of convenience may be okay for some, but I want the real thing. I think you do too."

Tanya let go of my hand and walked away from me. After a couple of steps, she turned around. She was not angry at my denial, but sad, and ultimately resigned to my decision. "You know, Edward. For someone that doesn't believe we have souls, you're putting an awful lot of stock in being able to find a soul mate."

"I think I may be seeing things differently."

"You mean after Phoenix."

"Yes, that's part of it. But this has been coming on for a while now. The trip up here, including what happened in Phoenix, just helped make things more clear."

Tanya turned away from me, her thoughts hazy again. "I hope you're right about there being a mate for all of us, Edward. After a thousand years, Kate found hers." She paused as her conversation with Kate was remembered. "She told me it was worth the wait. That she loved all of us, but nothing could compare to how complete she now feels."

"If it is any consolation Tanya, I did seriously consider your offer. It was very tempting. Thank you for wanting that with me."

Tanya never turned back towards me. She just nodded before she took off into the woods, leaving me with a final thought. _"Maybe yours, Irina's and mine will be right around the corner too."_


	10. Chapter 10

~ Phoenix, Arizona - December 25, 1994 ~

I had only stayed a few days with my Alaskan cousins. After my talk with Tanya it had become too awkward to be around the group. She was hurting and I was feeling guilty about not returning her affections. No one knew the details of what happened between us, but they knew, and I knew, it was something that required time and distance. I had decided to give Tanya and her family both. I also didn't want to spend too much time around Garrett and Kate either. Being around a newly mated pair, who spent their time enjoying the emotional and physical pleasures of their union, only fed my jealously and loneliness.

I had slowly worked my way south through Canada and the mid-western states. It did not surprise me when a couple of days prior to Christmas I had approached Phoenix. Ultimately, I wanted to head down to South America, but I had to check on one thing…or rather one person before I continued on. I still had ownership of the apartment Garrett and I used until the New Year, so I had settled in waiting for tonight to arrive. However, I was not completely idle with my time. I had worked a wide loop around where my singer lived, helping the police clean up a variety of petty and hardened criminals. I made sure not to get too close to my singer. Not out of the fear that I would attack her, but I wanted her identity to remain anonymous. I knew attaching a name to my singer would make it that much harder to walk away after tonight.

Just after 2:00am, I slowly approached my singer's house, which was easy to find given her delicious smell. Only a few conscious thoughts passed throughout neighborhood. These were primarily from two dads trying to assemble a dollhouse and bicycle respectively. As I circled around her house, I could read the mother's dreams with clarity. Instead of sugarplums, the image of a man sweeping her off her feet on a candy cane colored unicorn dominated her sleep state. My singer's thoughts were non-existent; signaling she must have been in a deep sleep. It was not until that moment that I had realized I didn't remember any of my singer's thoughts during that first night. I remembered the Mom's and the other parents, but nothing from my singer. I shuddered as I remembered the bloodlust raging through me. It was no wonder I couldn't focus on anything but the rhythm of her heart that night. That same rhythm, although slower, called to me now.

Once I entered her yard, my throat caught fire as I breathed in her delectable scent. I pressed myself against the side of her house and forced myself to calm down. With each deep breath, I allowed her scent to saturate my senses. Knowing what to expect, I found it possible to steel myself against the greatest temptation I had ever known. After a few minutes I forced myself to walk to the front door. I gently tried the door handle, which I found to be locked tight. I sighed in relief that the mother had the sense to lockup the house. I couldn't help my protective feelings towards the little girl part of me wanted so desperately to kill. Before stepping away, I caught the whiff of something familiar. It reminded me of the sweet sage scent I associated with Alice. I glanced around the yard looking for the source, but the smell was very faint, even for my enhanced vampire senses.

I made my way to the back of the house and found the patio door also locked. I thought it best for me to ensure the windows were also secure, then I would leave, never to return. Before I could continue to satisfy my protective urges, I stopped when I spotted my singer through the very window I was about to try. She was nestled on the couch, covered by a hand made crocheted blanket. Her beloved Santa scarf was wrapped around her neck. I looked around the room until I spotted a very fake and heavily decorated Christmas tree. Underneath it sat a dozen or so presents. Most were wrapped with non-traditional Christmas paper that had strange representations of geometric trees, reindeers, and Santa Clauses, along with sparkling pastel colored bows. Given my brief exposure to the mother's thoughts, I surmised that she must have wrapped these. However, I spotted three small packages off to the side that were wrapped differently with traditional paper and red satin bows. These must have been from another family member, perhaps the divorced father I briefly noted in the mother's thoughts.

I stood looking through the window for quite a while. My singer's breathing was even and her heartbeat was steady. As I watched her slumber, I found that I was happier than I had been since my change. My singer got her Christmas. To my surprise, I barely registered her scent anymore. Knowing she was safe and that she would wake up giddy in a few hours seemed to ground me and insulate me from the call of her blood.

"Merry Christmas, my singer." I whispered. "Have a good and happy life."

* * *

I got back to my rented apartment just before dawn. I quickly went through the room to ensure humans could detect no trace of me being there. I placed the apartment key on the counter and took one more look around. It would be wrong and risky for me to return to Phoenix anytime soon. Although I resisted my singer's scent with relative ease during this layover, I knew it would be foolhardy to risk being around her.

As I opened the door to leave, the wall-mounted phone in the kitchen rang. I stared at the device for a moment unsure what to do, as I had never turned on the phone service when I rented the apartment. The phone rang two more times before I picked up the receiver.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Edward" Alice's cheerful voice came through the phone. "Don't get mad, but I had the phone turned on when I was in Phoenix last week."

"You were in Phoenix? Last week? Why?"

"I had to meet her, Edward."

"You what!" I roared into the handset as it creaked under my tightened grip.

 _The familiar smell outside my singer's house was not botanical…it was Alice!_

"Calm down! I had to meet her. I could see that you felt protective of her, which is really sweet, by the way. You know how my visions work. For them to be reliable, it's best if I've met the person. It helps me…tune them in, I guess. Who knows…anyway, now I can keep an eye out for her and let you know if anything terrible is going to happen."

"What makes you think I want to know if something terrible happens to her?"

"You mean you don't?"

"No I don't." It's a lie. I hated telling Alice it and I knew she will see it as such.

"Yes, you do. I can see that you just lied to me. It okay to care, Edward."

I sigh at Alice's words. I felt protective of my singer, but I didn't care for her. She is just a human child that I almost killed.

 _I can't care for her...can I?_

"Tell me how you met her?" I asked Alice as a means to deflect my thoughts.

"Well Jaz and I took a red-eye in. It was cloudy, so we hung out in Phoenix for the day. Oh, and I also I had your phone turned on so I could make this call. You should really think about getting a pager, or better yet a cellular phone. It would make things so much easier. Anyway, we waited for…"

"Stop! I don't want to know her name! She is my singer. I want to keep it like that…impersonal. I doubt I will ever see her again."

"Mmm hmm" Alice taunted before continuing. "Okay, no names. So we waited for her to get home from school and I just went up to her house and rang the doorbell. She answered. I introduced myself and asked if I could speak to her Mom. Her Mom came and I said we were lost and looking for one of their neighbors. She directed us to go down the street and that was it. It only takes a moment for me to get a read on people."

"Jasper didn't have any issues?"

"No, although he stayed in the car, just as a precaution. Your singer does have a nice, almost flowery, smell, but neither Jasper or I seemed effected by it like you were."

"Alice, I don't want you meddling in her life. Promise me you won't."

"I promise I won't meddle or interfere, unless something terrible is going to happen, okay?"

"Okay. Thank you, Alice." I did feel better that Alice would be watching out for her. I guess I did care after all.

"That's what family is for, brother dear! Oh! Thank you for escorting Garrett to the Denali's. If you didn't it would've been years before their paths crossed and why shouldn't he and Kate be happy sooner, rather than later."

"You are quite the little scheming match maker."

"Just call me cupid! Oops, the family is coming. I've got to go. Don't be a stranger, Edward. We all miss you, including Rose. We all wish you would come home, but I can see you won't and really it's probably for the best in the long run." I can hear Esme's voice in the background, but I can't quite make out the words. "I've already said too much, so bye!"

I stared incredulously at the handset as the line went dead.


	11. Chapter 11

~ Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - January 1999 ~

My fourth year anniversary in South America was heralded with a trip to Rio. I arrived a few days ago. In the older part of the city, I had found a small apartment above a family owned store that could be rented without any questions, so long as long as I paid cash in advance. My stay in Rio would be my last in South America before I turned north and back to the United States. The length of my stay here would depend on how long I could endure the influx of thoughts from the locals. For some reason, Brazilians thought loudly. Condensing six million of them within the geographic region of a city made it difficult for me. Add to this the fact that Rio was a twenty-four, seven city, I never had any downtime from their mental chatter.

Despite how cerebrally loud Rio was, I had a job to perform. My previous stay had been in Lima, Peru. While there I ran into several members of the Volturi Guard, including the Volturi leader, Aro. They were in Lima to receive testimony and gather evidence against a small coven of two vampires that were violating the supreme vampire law regarding maintaining our secret. Ultimately, the two vampires were eliminated for their crimes. However, Aro was concerned how much a certain family in Lima and another man in Rio knew about our kind because of their exposure to the two, now destroyed, vampires. Demetri, one of the Volturi's Guard, is an excellent tracker. He directed Aro to my apartment in Lima, just outside the National University of San Marcos. At first I was sought out because I was a vampire who lived in the same city as the offenders. Once Aro realized I was one of Carlisle's family members, specifically the one with a gift similar to his own, he spent several days trying to convince me to join the ranks of the Guard. He was unaccustomed to being around my gift so he often mentally orated his strategy, which gave me the opportunity to refuse him without offending him. I knew enough from my conversations with Carlisle to never cross the Volturi. Aro wanted me. If he couldn't have me it could mean my destruction if I handled my dissent poorly.

Ultimately, I offered my services to him on an as needed basis. I actually came up with the idea indirectly from Eleazar. Unbeknownst to everyone close to him, except Carmen, Eleazar had occasionally helped out the Volturi by diagnosing the gifts of targeted vampires. It had only happened twice since he left Volterra, but it was enough to keep Aro and his brothers from interfering with his family. Carlisle, Tanya, Irina, Kate, and most if the Volturi Guard were not aware of Eleazar's _consulting_ arrangement with the Volturi. Even I wouldn't have known about it if Aro hadn't thought about Eleazar during one of his negotiating sessions with me. Aro was not pleased with my proposal, as he liked to have control over his minions, however I gently used his own thoughts against him to counter all of his reservations. In the end, I guided Aro to think it was better to have me as an available asset, than any undesirable alternative.

Under this new arrangement, in Lima I quickly determined that the family in question did know too much about our existence. The two rogue vampires often displayed their strength and speed, as well as allowing the humans to witness a gruesome feeding session. Without hesitation the family was eliminated. I felt guilt over sentencing the three family members to death by my evidence, but it was part of the deal I brokered and I had to see it through. After watching the three humans drained by the Volturi Guard, I was glad I never let Aro touch me. Carlisle had educated the family well in Aro's and Guard's gifts. Thoughts of my singer haunted me. I couldn't help but wonder if Aro would see her as a threat because of how dangerous her blood was to me. Knowing that the privacy of my memories was paramount to not only my survival, but to others close to me, I made it a provision of the agreement that Aro would never attempt to hijack my memories, just as I would never divulge his thoughts to any of his brother's or the Guard.

* * *

Aro and his Guard waited for me in an abandoned church while I scoured Rio for the man who may have witnessed something similar as the Lima family had. Aro noted in Lima that my amber eyes allowed me move amongst the humans without the typical worry of detection. I already saw in his thoughts the speculation that having a Guard member or two following our diet may have strategic benefits, not only for food gathering, but also for enforcement purposes.

It did not take me long to locate the man in question. I paid a street vagrant to ask the man a couple carefully worded questions. His answers and subsequent thoughts allowed me to see that, not only had he seen what the Lima family saw, but he was also promised to be changed for his assistance in gathering humans for the deceased vampires to feed from. Shortly after I directed the Guard to his location, the man was eliminated as well. I felt no guilt over this loss of life, as this man was evil in many ways. Both Volturi and human justice were served by his death.

After disposing of the body, Aro asked to speak to me before they traveled back to Italy.

"Jane, Alec, Demetri, why don't you all go off and find a snack before we leave. I would like to have a word with young Edward here."

"But, Master…" Jane, a tiny but powerful Guard member countered before Aro silenced her.

"Silence!" Aro commanded. "I have made a simple request. We will rendezvous at the airfield." I could see in Aro's thoughts that Jane and Alec were changed at a young age, perhaps only thirteen or fourteen years of age. Aro wasn't really angry with Jane, but he often had to treat both of them as the young teenagers they were.

"As you wish, Master." Jane glared at me while toying with the idea of unleashing her gift upon me, but she did not want to be on the receiving end of Aro's wrath. Two Guard members, remained with Aro...Renata, his personal bodyguard, and Felix, a hulking vampire rivaling Emmett in stature. Aro considered both of them to be beyond trustworthy and knew that our conversation would remain confidential.

Aro placed a compassionate mask over his true emotions and thoughts before turning towards me. I would have thought he would have adjusted to my gift by know, but he slipped quite often and telegraphed his motives.

"Ah, Edward. It seems my work here in this part of the world has been concluded most satisfactorily, partly because of your help. On behalf of my brothers, I thank you, and I wish to ask one more time if you would reconsider and decide to join us in Volterra. Your gift would be a marvelous addition to the Guard. I would even consider allowing you to continue with your unnatural diet, as I can see the side effects can be beneficial in championing our cause."

Aro's thoughts mostly echoed his words, except for a brief consideration of using coercion to compel me to join the Volturi. However, he understood I would likely choose my own destruction over forced servitude. Deep down Aro knew that the pressure and strong-armed tactics he had used in the past enlist gifted vampires into the Volturi ranks could undermine their rule with the masses. He was slowly starting to consider that strategic alliances like he begrudgingly forged with Eleazar and myself could allow him access to talented vampires. The allure of the inherent power that came along with that was powerful, plus this strategy did not alienate or encourage sedition amongst the vampire population. His mind quickly worked on how such and arrangement could allow him to leverage the gift of an Egyptian vampire, who was rumored to have control over the elements. He understood that it would be politically difficult to forcibly remove him and his mate from his existing coven, as his sire was even older than Aro and his brothers.

"I am honored by your invitation, Aro, but I humbly decline." I paused slightly as I framed my next words carefully. During our original negotiations, I purposely kept my family out of any discussion or condition. Aro was not openly agreeable to my terms as they were, adding my family at that time would have likely sabotaged the deal. I felt it was best if he assumed I was operating in a nomadic fashion. However, I now had some leverage built upon our mutual success, so I decided to capitalize on it. "I will, of course, abide by our agreement and I offer my services to you and your brothers, so long as our partnership does not place my family or myself at any detrimental risk."

Aro clapped his hands and chuckled. "I see, my friend, that you have subtly changed the scope of our agreement to include Carlisle and your other coven members as a means of exclusion, and I suspect, as a means of protection for them. You are truly cut from the same fabric as Carlisle." Aro paused and considered this new stipulation. Not to be out bid, he quickly formed his own new condition. Aro's thoughts betrayed that he resented Carlisle for leaving Volterra, yet he still respected Carlisle's keen mind. He was even jealous of Carlisle's ability to make lasting friendships with those he met, rather than use coercion as the Volturi were often forced to do. Additionally, despite Carlisle's peaceful nature, Aro was fearful of our family's size, as well as the number of vampires that our family could claim friendship with. Creating an alliance that bound the entire family, and not just me, would allow the Volturi to neutralize our combined strength, as well as show the vampire world an air of benevolence without admitting any weakness.

"I would be happy to include your family into our arrangement." Aro countered. "But only if you could assure me they would volunteer their services as well, should the need arise."

There was no way I could speak for my family and commit them to this agreement, especially since I have been out on my own for over eleven years. I quickly went through my conversations with Aro, I could not tell if he was aware of Alice's or Jasper's talent. How could I bind any of them into this devil's agreement?

Aro sensed my dilemma. He was about to press me for an answer, when I picked up a mental voice calling out to me. It was Carlisle. He was positioned several blocks away. He waited until Demetri was far enough away away before approaching us, as Aro's lead tracker would have surely sensed his presence. All of this was communicated quickly and covertly.

" _Edward_ ," Carlisle spoke in his thoughts. " _I will explain everything shortly. Agree to Aro's terms. The family is aware of everything and is in agreement that an alliance with the Volturi is in our, and his, best long-term interests._ "

I pushed away the myriad of questions forming in my mind and schooled my expression to hide my shock of hearing my sire's voice. I paused while I formed my response to Aro. It was crucial for me to give Aro what he wanted, but also include the appropriate safeguards to protect my family.

"Aro, on behalf of my family I accept your terms. My family will make available to the Volturi their services on a conditional basis."

"Excellent! But do tell me Edward, what are the conditions?"

"Northing too limiting I assure you. First, we reserve the right to respectfully pass should we feel our involvement would place our family at any adverse risk."

"That seems reasonable, as long as you allow us the opportunity to provide satisfactory mitigation of any perceived risks."

"Agreed." I respond.

"Any other conditions?" Aro asked.

"Yes, the Volturi, or anyone, human or vampire, associated with the Volturi, will not interfere or try to disrupt my family and our chosen lifestyle. This includes actively recruiting members of our family or their mates into the Volturi ranks."

Aro was getting frustrated. He felt he was giving up too much, but he relented.

"I will agree to this. Your family and their mates will be left alone to lead your unnatural lifestyle. However, should one of your coven decide to voluntarily leave, your family will not stand in the way of them seeking their freedom."

"Agreed." I answered. "Those are our conditions."

"I have one condition of my own, Edward. Your family will not hinder our efforts or refuse services based on ideological differences. Your family's sensibilities and our tasks, including any repercussions, may be at odds. Your family will not question our methods or our decisions. Do you agree to this?

I had been expecting such a condition. For Aro it was important for their law not to be questioned.

"I will agree, as long as rendering our services will not require my family to violate our lifestyle, or require my family to dispense your justice."

"That seems reasonable as well." Aro replied but his thoughts belied that he felt the exact opposite. "Then we have an accord, my friend."

There was just one more thing I needed to get from Aro. I had no witnesses of my own to corroborate this devil's agreement.

"We do. Given that our alliance includes a number of principals that are not present from both sides, I believe it would be best if we record the details we have agreed upon here. I would imagine you would also desire to have Carlisle's explicit agreement. So I don't misrepresent the terms we have agreed upon, it would be best for you to draft our agreement and I will ensure that Carlisle and the rest of the family provides you confirmation of their acceptance."

Aro felt it was extremely disrespectful for me to ask for the agreement to be documented. The Volturi word was supposed to be law, however Aro could not stop thinking about several verbal agreements that the Volturi had disregarded because it served their purpose. As the anger started to grow within him, images of him ordering Felix to relieve me of my head came to his mind. Before he could act, a subtle wave of calm past over all of the Volturi's. At the same time I felt my confidence rising. Only one thing could account for this change and my suspicions were confirmed by his mental voice.

" _Things were getting intense, Edward,_ " Jasper called out to me. " _I thought I should calm things down a bit._ "

With a more rational track to his emotions, Aro's mind thought through what it would mean having a document with the agreed upon terms. He quickly worked through how this could be a benefit for the Volturi. Having evidence that Carlisle was allied with the Volturi could be beneficial when dealing with vampires that claimed a friendly relationship with our coven. Even without enlisting our family's help, the document could prove an effective device to force a desired outcome. Jasper ever so slowly removed his influence so its effect would not be noticed. As the last of Jasper's gift was removed, Aro announced his decision.

"Normally our word is law, however I can see the benefits of having our understanding archived so any future misunderstandings can be eliminated." Aro also didn't like how I put the burden on him to produce this document, but that irritation was replaced when he realized that a carefully worded summary would better serve the Volturi's interest. "After I return to Volterra I will forward to Carlisle a written summary of our agreement. I trust you will be able to get ahold of him so you two can go over our terms. My young friend, please understand that I consider the agreement between my coven and yours already valid, as we have each given our word. The recording of it is just a formality. Please advise your family as such."

Aro turned to leave as his patience with this negotiation was at an end. Before exiting the church, he turned and addressed me one final time.

"It has been a pleasure working with you, Edward. I hope one day you will visit my brothers and I in Italy. Please give my regards to your sire and his mate."


	12. Chapter 12

~ Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - January 1999 ~

The Volturi headed west so I went northeast, which was the direction Carlisle and Jasper's thoughts had come from. Once I was out of the city limits I picked up Jasper's thoughts.

" _Let's meet in Serra dos Órgãos, Pedra do Sino._ "

I took off at full speed towards the destination. I knew the Serra dos Órgãos mountain range well; so it didn't take me long to travel forty or so miles. Once I reached the mountains, I scaled the tallest one, Pedra do Sino, quickly. Given my speed, it didn't surprise me that I had beat Jasper to the mountain, however I was surprised to find Carlisle waiting for me. I approached Carlisle at human speed. It had been over eleven years since I had seen him. Not terribly long in terms of vampire longevity, but still the longest any of the family had been away.

I stopped about ten feet from Carlisle. He had been seated on a rock, but he stood as I approached. "Hello, Carlisle. It's good to see you."

Less than a second later his arms surrounded me as he hugged me close. "Its good to see you too, Edward. It's been too long." After hearty squeeze he released me and motioned towards the rock he had been sitting on. "Let's sit and talk."

After we both sat, Carlisle took a deep and unnecessary breath before relaxing. "Jasper won't be joining us. He and Emmett are making sure Aro leaves without any issues."

"Emmett is here too?"

"Actually the entire family is here…well out at Isle Esme. We weren't going to make you go through this alone. But they have all agreed to remain and respect your wishes for space." Carlisle turned to look at me. "I wish I could've been more help today, but Alice saw that if came any closer, Demetri could have picked up my trail. As it was, Alice only gave me a couple of minutes I could be in the city. It was a last minute decision by Aro whether Demetri was going to be asked to stay for meeting or not. If he stayed, none of us would have been able to be in the city. And if I showed up at the church or if Demetri found me, the agreement you brokered would not have happened. Demetri has never met Jasper or Emmett so they could remain closer as his gift is more potent once he has met the vampire. In fact, it was key that Alice stay as far away as possible. If Aro learned of Alice's gift before the agreement was forged, he would most likely have stop at nothing to acquire her. Rosalie always ended up distracting Emmett, so she was forced to stay behind, and Esme stayed on the island to comfort Rosalie and Alice."

"So you wanted me to strike a deal with Aro? I don't understand."

"It's a bit complicated, but, yes, after reviewing Alice's visions, our family, you included, will be much better off and happy with the alliance you brokered with Aro. Jasper had a particularly hard time reconciling that the price of our freedom was to be linked with the Volturi, but currently there doesn't seem to be any other way."

Images of Alice's visions flashed through Carlisle's mind. Some of his thoughts were incomplete as he had purposely blocked me from seeing different aspects of the visions. However, I could tell that it was done out of love and not any other emotion. He wanted me to have the opportunity to experience my future without too much intervention.

Some of the scenes ended terribly. Whether it was years, decades, or centuries into the future, eventually Aro's jealously and lust for power would cause him to forcibly break apart the family, often with unspeakable deaths on both sides.

Other scenarios showed Jasper and Alice leaving the family, and in some, they joined the Volturi to keep Aro from harming the rest of us.

The only scenario that did not end in the loss of one our family was created with this deal. Some of the tasks Aro would ask our assistance on would be hard live with, but ultimately the three mated couples in the family would stay together and they would be happy. Additionally, Aro's power lust would be indulged, as further alliances with other covens would be formed.

The downside of the scenario Carlisle dwelled upon was that he refused to let me see any of my future. His thoughts seemed a bit sad, yet hopeful, but I could not see what actually would become of me. I also found out that this is the real reason Jasper and Emmett were not at this meeting. Neither one of them would've been able to keep me from seeing my future in Alice's visions. She was adamant that I not see beyond this meeting.

"I want to tell you, Edward, how proud I am of you. You handled Aro masterfully. I was beyond surprised when Alice relayed her vision to us of you meeting Aro in Lima. I guess I always suspected that Eleazar was still involved with the Volturi. No one, except for Eleazar, has ever been allowed to leave the service of the Volturi. It now makes sense. If Aro wanted to keep his access to Eleazar's special gift he needed to bend and allow him to leave, as Eleazar would have fought for his and Carmen's release. You deftly choose the only course that kept you out of the Guard and still alive. If you did not include the family in your agreement…well I'll just say that eventually Aro would have found ways to break up our family. Given my history with the Volturi, I would not have been able to reason as convincingly or as astutely as you did. Aro would have used the vulnerabilities of my life against me during the negotiations." I could see in his thoughts that the vulnerabilities he spoke of were his love for Esme and the rest of our family, as well as his deep-seated need to just seek a peaceful means to conflicts. "You have been able to gift us all with a future free of Volturi interference, except for the occasional service that is to be rendered. A small, and easily paid, price to keep all of us together."

Carlisle thought through the family's reaction to the deal. Esme, Alice, and surprisingly, Rosalie were all for the agreement. Emmett wasn't afraid of fighting the Volturi, but he could appreciate the guarantee of Rose and the family being safe. Jasper was, and never will be, comfortable with aligning ourselves with the "Italian tyrants", but he recognized that it was the best strategy.

Carlisle and I sat for while as I soaked in his thoughts and his words. I never really gave much thought to how our long term future could have been impacted by the Volturi's need to collect powerful vampires and break up covens that posed a threat, even if it was just a perceived threat, to their rule. I didn't set out to change the course of our family history with my deal with Aro, and I shuddered to think what the potential conflicts between our covens would have brought upon our lives. The idea of my family members being destroyed, as well as Alice, Jasper, and I donning Volturi cloaks and having red eyes, was very disturbing. I was beyond glad I was able to stop it, not only for myself, but also for the entire family. It felt good to contribute something of value.

Carlisle broke our silence. "I've really missed you, Edward. Things just haven't been the same without you at home. However, after seeing the man you have become this past decade, I can see that you seeking out your own path was worthwhile. Esme and I, along with the rest of the family, hope you find what you are missing. We want you to come home, but more importantly we want you to be happy."

"Thank you, Carlisle. I have missed you all as well. On more than a few occasions I have considered coming back home, but I haven't found what I am looking for yet."

"You mean a mate?"

"Yes, but also some understanding and peace with my existence. I have been staying away for a lot of reasons. Being alone in a family of mated vampires is just one of them."

"I'm sorry we weren't more respectful to you with regards to our intimacy. Rose feels terrible about what she said that day. She has changed in many ways since you left."

Carlisle's mind drifted through a few memories of Rosalie after I left. Some were cut off deliberately, but others were played out. Jasper's and Rose's early fights were epic. I had to suppress a snicker at one memory of Jasper tossing Rose through the outside wall of the Syracuse house after she pushed one too many of his buttons. However, it was the last set of memories Carlisle revealed that made my heart ache.

It started with Esme telling the other family members to clear out of the house. She wanted to have a woman-to-woman talk with Rose after she learned that earlier in the day Rose had deliberately given a girl at school a paper cut to taunt and torture Jasper who hadn't hunted in over a week.

* * *

 _"I don't have to listen to this!" Rose screamed. There was a crash and a sound of what appeared to be a vampire body being slammed against a wall._

 _"You will listen to me!" Esme roared. "I am tired of this! Ever since your change, you have acted like a selfish brat. I am truly sorry for the final hours of your human life. No one should have to go through the terror, degradation, and pain Royce and his friends put you through. I know a bit about that kind of abuse myself. I supported Carlisle changing you then, and I am still grateful for it today, but even I have my limits. You claim to hate this life, and offer up as a defense the night you died and all the human things you have been robbed of by Royce...and by Carlisle. Yet, you begged Carlisle to change Emmett...you begged Carlisle to bring him into this life you claim to hate. That's a bit hypocritical, don't you think?"_

 _"I…" Rose interrupted_

 _"I'm and not done yet!" Esme hollered back followed by another crash. "For over sixty years you have taunted, groused, and selfishly ridiculed every member of this family, all in the name of how wronged and miserable you are. Yet, you spend untold hours glowing in the love and intimacy of your mate. A mate you would have never had if Carlisle left you for dead like Royce did. A mate you would have never had if you didn't ask to have him changed. You punished Royce and the men who wronged you. They deserved everything they got. But do we, your family, deserve to be punished? For decades you goaded Edward. You joyously preyed upon his insecurities and loneliness. Also, you made sure that rarely a day would go by that Carlisle wasn't made to feel a heavy burden of guilt over his decision to change you. To both of them, you have been calculating and vicious in your attacks. Jasper, to his credit, refuses to allow you to get away with it. However, what if Jasper would've harmed, or even killed that girl today? Her innocent blood would've been on your hands as much as his!" Esme paused while Rose remained silent. "I wanted to speak to you alone to tell you it stops today! I love you as a daughter. I love Emmett as a son. But I will no longer tolerate you purposely hurting the other people I love."_

 _"What are you saying?"_

 _"I am saying you need to let go of the anger and hate you have allowed to poison who you are. Instead of lamenting what you've lost, celebrate what you've gained. A loving mate and husband. A family that values and adores you. And a forever to enjoy both."_

 _"What if I can't, or don't want to let go of my anger."_

 _"It pains me to say it, but then you need to remove yourself from this family until you do. I'm going to find Carlisle, Alice and Jasper and go for a hunt. We will be back tomorrow. If you're here tomorrow when we return it means you want to start anew. If you can't or are unwilling to change, then I want you to leave. The choice is yours."_

* * *

Carlisle sighed. "That was the most unsatisfying hunt of my life. Alice's gift was of no use because Rose couldn't make up her mind what to do. She didn't know how to let go. However, somehow she did. Her change wasn't instant or without a few setbacks, but she seems genuinely happy now. I am proud of the woman she has become. The only one she hasn't been able to reconcile with has been you, and that bothers her greatly."

"Carlisle, please tell her she has nothing to feel guilty about. Rose's remarks and taunts did hurt, but they have been said in the past. I am truly happy for her. My leaving was always about something more than Rose's snide remarks that day. Ever since my change I have wrestled with what I am. I am not saying this to make you feel bad. Part of me is starting to appreciate the life you gave me. However, another part of myself still loathes what I am. Like Rose, I just don't know how to let go. The morality, and the unchristian nature of what our vampire instincts asks of us, weighs on me heavily. The only thing I am sure of is that being on my own is what I need until I can be truly happy with myself…if I ever can be."

"I understand, Edward. Let me show you something that I should have allowed you to see a long time ago." I could hear the sadness in his voice and his thoughts.

Carlisle sighed before recalling his memories. Many of the mental images he provided me were ones he never allowed himself to dwell on, either in my presence or privately. They included him as a newborn struggling with what he had become, as well as numerous instances where he was angry and his faith in God challenged. I had never known that at one time he despised himself. His views were very much like my own. No single event changed this perception, but rather over several decades he reconciled what he had become with the type of man he yearned to be. At one time he believed, as I did, that his soul was damned, but eventually he came to feel otherwise. Now, his renewed faith in God, and his love for our family, help drive him to do his best everyday.

"I'm sorry I never shared that with you previously, Edward. I didn't want to plant the seed of doubt or abhorrence in you or any of our family. I can now see I was wrong not be forthcoming with you and others that I once struggled greatly with what we are. I wanted to appear strong, and I am, still to this day, ashamed of my lack of faith during that time. My vanity never wanted you, or the others, to see my weaknesses. For over a hundred years I barely even allowed myself to acknowledge that period of my existence."

The images I saw were shocking. For as long as I had known Carlisle he had been a pillar of strength and compassion. To see him nearly broken by his own doubts and revulsion was surreal…and encouraging. Perhaps my struggles were not as hopeless as I once thought.

"Thank you, Carlisle. It means a lot me to that you would share those memories. To be honest, the old me would have shrugged them off, claiming that they could not possible relate to me. However, now you have given me plenty to ponder and consider."

Carlisle placed his hand on my shoulder as a sign of acceptance and understanding. "I guess that is all I can ask for."


	13. Chapter 13

~ Santa Fe, New Mexico - October 1999 ~

I stood in the shadows outside of the Chapel of San Miguel. It was 2:00am and three other vampires were stalking me. They were unaware of my gift or that I allowing myself to be followed.

When I returned to the United States last week I couldn't help stopping by Phoenix to check on my singer. I spent the week cleaning up the neighborhoods around my singer's home. The local papers indirectly picked up on my activity by lauding the local Police with capturing a prominent drug dealer and two murderers within a one-week span. Each night, I made my way back to my singer's house to experience the delicious torture of her blood and to check that her house was secure. I forced myself to never peek into the house, but on each visit I saturated myself on her lingering scent and the cadence of her heartbeat. If was honest with myself, I would have to admit her blood was no longer an issue. I made sure I hunted often, but after spending months in Rio, around millions of people, my control over my thirst was rock solid. It also didn't hurt that the desire to protect her far out weighed the desire to drain her.

Two days ago, a package arrived for me from Alice. It contained a map of Santa Fe and a cellular phone. Several moments after I powered on the phone, I received a call from Alice. She warned me that my prowling around of Phoenix was going to capture the attention of three vampires. Given my numerous visits to my singer's home, the three nomads would stop by to see what or whom I found so fascinating at that residence. If they found my scent at her house, both the mother and my singer would die. I vowed to stop it from occurring, and with Alice's help she led me to Santa Fe.

The plan was simple. I was to intercept the three nomadic vampires, and allow them track me around Santa Fe for a couple of days before meeting with them. I would then discourage them from traveling to Phoenix. Emmett, Rose, Jasper and Alice were positioned about a twenty miles outside of Santa Fe as a precaution, but Alice assured me their presence shouldn't be needed, assuming I could use my gift to convince them to change their plans. Alice claimed I would be successful, unless I managed to get the leader mad at me.

Before I could continue rehashing our plan, I heard the thoughts of the three vampires as they approached me. James, the leader, was mated to the female, Victoria. The third was Laurent, who seemed to follow James and Victoria without much loyalty. James was a tracker, but unlike the Volturi's Demetri, who tracked not only by scent, but also by the tenor of a vampire's mind, James' tracking was limited to scent only. However, he was very skilled. From what I had been able to gather, he enjoyed toying with his conquests prior to killing them. He also enjoyed playing games with other vampires. Which is why they were following me. James loved to steal a victim from another vampire. It was one of the few ways he found a sense of excitement in his existence. He rarely worried about repercussions from the targeted vampire as Victoria was adept at escaping, and Laurent added an additional threat solely by his presence.

They were stalking me. I was stalking a despicable, lowlife pedophile that would deserve the fate my plan called for. I darted from my hiding spot until I was about a block behind my human target. It did not take long for James to home in on the man I was following. I slowed my pace, but kept up the illusion that I was preparing to strike. Mentally, I heard James give the order to split up and attack the pedophile once he turned down the only available alley in his walking path. Within seconds they descended upon the man and drained him quickly. By the time I turned the corner and entered the alley they were done and standing over his dead body. I pretended to be shocked by crouching low and releasing a warning hiss.

"Too bad. It appears we've beat you to your meal," James replied coolly. The three of them took a defensive stance. Each one evaluated me to see if I would attack. James sized me up as an adversary. Victoria considered me an unpredictable threat so she plotted a quick retreat path to their right. Laurent knew James would take me on first and that he would most likely follow Victoria if she left.

I needed to play up the part for the deception to work, so I growled at the three of them while I inched closer to James.

"He was mine!" I hissed.

"Well, maybe next time you'll spend less time following and more time feeding!" Victoria taunted.

Before I could respond, James cocked his head to one side and spoke. "What is wrong with your eyes?" I could see that none of them had any experience with animal drinking vampires.

"It's always the same questions." I shook my head in mock disgust. "The Volturi just asked me that too," I replied in a calmer voice. I slowly raised myself up to standing position. "My eyes have been this way since my change. It's just the way I am. They'll get slightly darker after I feed."

"The Volturi?" Laurent asked. He and Victoria were worried that they could be looking for them. In the past, their coven had not been very discrete in their hunting tactics. I decided to use this fear.

"Yeah, I was just in Phoenix where I ran into several of the Volturi Guard. They're doing a sweep of the southern cities."

Victoria's thoughts conformed that Phoenix was their next stop.

"Who were they looking for?" James asked. His thoughts flashed to Demetri and Jane. He had met them both many years back in Jackson, Mississippi. The Guard had caught his trail just outside Biloxi and tracked him north to Jackson. They questioned him about some deaths down in Biloxi. Demetri sensed James' talent and let him know that he was far superior. James did not like Demetri's taunting or his superior skills. He snarled back at Demetri, but Jane intervened and took him down with her gift of pain. Jane tortured him for several minutes before they let James know that they were going to check out what happened in Biloxi. If James had been involved, Demetri would find him no matter how far he ran.

James thoughts flashed to a mental hospital in Biloxi. I was stunned at the vision of James stalking a then human Alice Brandon. The night James went to the institution to finally drain Alice, he found that another vampire thwarted his plans by hiding and changing Alice before James could kill her. In retaliation, James killed the vampire and left to look for newborn vampire Alice. The Volturi started tracking him during his search.

We had never known about Alice's change or her human history. I had already disliked these three vampires because they could threaten my singer. I now hated James, like I have hated no other creature, because of his previous desire to kill Alice and his lingering resentment for never finding her. Despite being mated to Victoria, James has long desired Alice as a sexual conquest. His plan, if he ever found Alice, was to have his way with her sexually, then destroy her.

I flexed my fingers as a feral growl ripped from my throat.

" _What has made him so angry?_ " Laurent thought. I could see myself in their eyes and I was ready to attack. With my speed I could easily take out James and possibly Laurent, however Victoria would most likely flee before I could reach her. Just inside the periphery of my gift I heard Alice's thoughts. They were to the south and far enough away that James would not pickup their scent, however I could just pickup their thoughts.

" _Please don't, Edward!_ " Alice's pleading stopped me cold. " _I…I never saw this in my visions. I'm so sorry. Don't fight them._ " She showed me that I would loose an arm in my attack and that Victoria would indeed get away.

" _Stay focused, Edward._ " Jasper thought out to me. " _Get them outside the city. I have a plan. Go north to the Nambé Reservoir. Bring the body, it will help mask our scent._ " Jasper's mind was icily composed, and his thoughts were calculating, remorseless, and predatory. I had only sensed this from him before when he thought back on his days of fighting in Maria's vampire Army. Jasper was in full-on military mode. Alice was his mate and his savior. He planned on ending James for his desires to hurt Alice. Emmett, Rose, and Alice were all on board. Our simple plan to redirect these three vampires had just become a violent chess match.

I willed myself to relax and I stood up straight. I had a role to play in this new game.

"I'm sorry. It's just that…in Phoenix one of the Volturi, a vicious vampire named Jane, did something to me. She has a gift that caused me pain like I never felt before." I shook my head as if I had been trying to forget what happened. "All because I wouldn't tell her how many people I fed from while I was in Phoenix."

"Jane is in Phoenix? Who else was with her?" James asked. I had to hide the smirk as he relived his painful encounter with her.

"Yeah, along with her brother Alec, and two other vampires, a Demetri and Felix." I replied. James was not afraid of Jane or Alec as much as he was of running into Demetri again. He was not familiar with Felix.

I went over and lightly kicked the dead body. "I know of a place to dispose of this. It's north of here. I've used it before. It's a place that's hard to find any remains. Why don't you all come along? I've been saving a nice remote house with five delicious family members."

"Really?" Laurent asked in his slight French accent. "You would share with us?"

Luckily, my gift had allowed me to catalog a variety of traits about these three vampires. I knew all three enjoyed blood and sex. Laurent would come for the blood, but ultimately he would only come if James did. James was willing to go, not only for the meal, but to watch me further. Victoria was against my offer. Her senses were telling her it was not safe. She wouldn't come for the blood, but maybe for another thirst. James and Victoria being mated never stopped them from indulging in carnal pleasures with outsiders. I knew she found me attractive, maybe she would come for the chance to have sex with me.

"I'll share." I replied before I reached out and ran a finger along Victoria's jaw and down her throat. "Maybe you would share as well?" Victoria's arousal spiked. Her scent disgusted me but I sniffed the air in mock appreciation before turning to James. "That is, if you're okay with it?" James considered my request. Whereas I was revolted, James was getting turned on at the promise of a blood and sex orgy.

"We'll see," James replied coolly. However his mind was set. For him it would be blood and sex, then they would head north into Colorado, away from the nonexistent Volturi threat.

Victoria's reluctance melted away as well. Thoughts of her and I engaged in various blood fueled sexual acts assaulted me. If a vampire could retch, I would have at the thought of her, James and I having three-way sex. "Yes," she purred, "let's see what happens."

Laurent was going for the blood, but a small hope remained that perhaps he would finally get a chance at being with Victoria. She may have been open to sex with other partners, but never with him.

I picked up the man's body. "Okay, let's go."


	14. Chapter 14

~ Nambé Reservoir, New Mexico - October 1999 ~

The trek out to the Nambé Reservoir did not take us long, as we did not follow any roads. About two miles from reservoir I picked up the thoughts of my family. At first I couldn't understand where they were until Emmett made a mental comment about Rosalie being his own mermaid. That is when I realized that they were all submerged in the reservoir. As we approached I couldn't detect any of their scents. Neither could James. Between the water barrier and the dead body, my family was well hidden.

" _When you reach the reservoir, go around the back of it and go across the silt field._ " Jasper mentally commanded me. " _Once you are across, make sure you are in front of them and call out the names of the vampires in their order behind you. We will attack at that time. The element of surprise will be with us. I want you to take out the one named Laurent._ "

Once the reservoir was in sight I called over to Laurent. "Your accent is French? Correct?"

"It is." He replied. He moved himself closer to me, which had been my plan in engaging him in conversation. "I am originally from Senegambia, but my family was brought to France as slaves. I guess the accent has always stayed with me."

James and Victoria were getting frustrated. Our trip had been a bit further than they expected, but both were still horny and thirsty.

"How much farther?" James asked impatiently. "I have many thirsts to quench."

"Not much farther, I promise this family will be worth it. It's just past the ridge up ahead." I answered.

Jasper thought out, " _Good! Keep them talking. It's helping me triangulate their position._ "

"Which thirst would you like to satisfy first when we arrive? Blood or pleasure?" I asked in a voice heavy with innuendo.

"Can't we do both?" Victoria asked huskily as we crossed the silt field at the back of the reservoir.

" _Jesus, Edward, to pull this off, you might actually be forced to say a naughty word._ " Emmett teased me from under the water. " _Come on, try it out. Just say the word 'fuck" once! Please!_ "

I had to force myself not to smile at Emmett's teasing. However I was supposed to be playing the role of a human drinking, sexually active vampire. Maybe, just this once I would accommodate Emmett.

"Hmm, fucking while feeding sounds good to me."

" _Hell yeah! Finally!_ " Emmett replied.

After a few more yards, Jasper nudged Alice, Rose and Emmett to let them know it was time. " _Go ahead, Edward, we're ready!"_

"Is that alright with you Laurent, James, and Victoria?" I called out.

Upon hearing the last name, my family and I sprung into action. As four bodies leapt from the water, I spun around and grabbed Laurent by his hair, exposing his neck to me. The simultaneous sounds of my teeth ripping through Laurent's neck and curses from James and Victoria filled the air.

Alice landed next to a stunned James and swept his legs from underneath him. While his body was still falling to the ground, Jasper grabbed James' by the ears, and using a foot on his chest as leverage, ripped James' head clear of his body. "You will never touch my Alice," Jasper roared to the severed head in his hands before discarding it.

Victoria reacted faster than James. Emmett and Rose landed on either side of her, but she jumped away before they could grab her. Emmett dove at Victoria. She sidestepped his lunge, however Rose anticipated her movement and was there to wrap her arms around her. Victoria tried to kick off the ground and escape Rose's grasp, but Emmett's hand slammed down on her shoulder, holding her in place.

"Say hello to hell, bitch!" Rose hissed before using her teeth to remove Victoria's head.

It was over in only a couple seconds, and five of us stood over the dismembered bodies of the three nomads.

"Hot damn!" Emmett's voice boomed into the night as he made a series of shadow boxing moves. "That was fun! Woo!"

Jasper wrapped his arms around Alice and kissed her repeatedly in between whispers that he would never let any one hurt her.

Rose dropped Victoria's head and approached me. "Edward, I'm sorry about…" Rose started, but I would not let her finish as I hugged her. Her thoughts told me all I needed to hear.

"Rose, anything that happened in the past should be left there. We are both different people now."

"So you can forgive me?" She asked.

"Yes, I forgave you a long time ago."

"Thank you." Rose reached up and lightly kissed my cheek for the first time ever.

"Hey! Can I get in on this action?" Emmett asked before wrapping both of us into a giant bear hug. A moment later Alice and Jasper joined in.

I started to laugh at how ridiculous this scene would appear to an outsider. Five sentimental immortals hugging in the middle New Mexico, while the remains of three other vampires littered the ground. It was a true supernatural greeting card moment.

We all let go of one another before Jasper slapped me on the shoulder. "First you say 'fuck', now you're laughing out loud like a fool. Who are you and what have you done to my brooding brother?" Jasper teased.

We all laughed at me expense and it felt good.

After we collected the bodies, we burned them to ash. As the morning sun peaked over the horizon we all decided to head north into the Rocky Mountains for some hunting and family bonding. I looked back towards the southwestern sky. Hundreds of miles away was the city of Phoenix…and my singer. I wouldn't be going back. I knew Alice would keep looking out for terrible happenings, but I had to stop my own stalker-ish visits. My presence could easily draw others of my kind towards her. Unless I was willing to stay and be a permanent protector, I needed to let her go.


	15. Chapter 15

~ Rocky Mountains, Colorado - October 1999 ~

We arrived at my favorite spot in the Rocky Mountains, the same spot Emmett and I met nine years prior. Right before our first hunt, I heard the thoughts of the other two Cullens that were not in attendance. Listening to them approach, I found out that Carlisle and Esme were waiting in Denver. Shortly after my siblings and I left the Nambé Reservoir, Alice had called Carlisle and Esme to let them know we were heading towards the Rocky Mountains. For the first time in over twelve years, the entire family was to be together.

" _We're here to visit, Edward._ " Esme called out to me. " _Since you never visited us at home, we came to you._ "

I watched from a rocky ledge as Carlisle and Esme approached. Upon seeing me, Esme darted past her mate and flung herself at me, wrapping me in hug.

"I missed you, Edward." Esme whispered.

"I missed you too." I whispered back.

Esme pulled away and looked me over. Nothing had changed, but she looked anyway.

Once Carlisle reached me, he pulled me into a half-hug. He scrunched his nose and pulled away.

"You smell, Edward." Carlisle paused and sniffed my shirt. "I smell human blood and vampire ash. What have you been doing?" Carlisle asked.

I looked around at my brothers and sisters with a sheepish look.

"This wasn't just a family hunting trip was it?" Esme asked sternly.

"Oh, it was a family hunting trip!" Emmett's voice boomed. "Most fun hunting I've had in years!" His statement was followed by a hard smack against the back of his head from Rose.

"Let's have a seat and I will explain everything," I said as I motioned to everyone to find a spot amongst the fallen trees and boulders near us.

* * *

An hour later, all of us had given Carlisle and Esme our own version of what happened. Carlisle and Esme looked at each other and sighed.

"I normally don't approve the taking of any life," Carlisle said softly, "but I can't in my heart find any remorse for the three vampires you destroyed. I don't doubt that James would've stopped at nothing to harm our Alice if he ever found her. The other two were collateral damage. I am proud of you all for protecting the innocent lives of Edward's singer and her mother, as well as ensuring the safety of our family. Let's just pray that your combined tactical efforts will not be required again any time soon."

I looked towards Esme to gauge her reaction. Her thoughts were a bit scattered. She kept thinking of all of the worst-case scenarios that could've happened. After a long moment she reached out and took Carlisle's hand before speaking.

"I agree with Carlisle. Destroying those vampires was the only way to keep everyone safe and out of harm's way." Esme paused as a sly grin crossed her face. "However, I will not tolerate you using foul language, Edward!" Esme teased. "I get enough of that from the others."

Everyone laughed, including myself, at Esme's brightening of our serious mood.

 _"I'm just happy everyone is all right. And I am happy to see you smile and laugh."_ Esme thought to me. _"The Edward that left us wouldn't have been so carefree."_

* * *

We spent the next couple of days hunting and reconnecting. No one asked me what my plans were going to be, but everyone correctly assumed I would not be joining them on the trip home. They were all just happy to live in the moment. I was too.

I sat on a rocky ledge enjoying the sun's warm rays when Rose approached.

"Can I join you?" she asked.

I patted the spot next to me. "Absolutely."

Rose sat down and leaned back mimicking my stance. "So is this what you've been doing in between improving urban crime statistics and brokering consulting deals with the vampire ruling class?"

With a chuckle I answered. "You forget to mention my work with the Alice Cullen vampire mating service."

"How could I forget Kate and Garrett? Recruiting you into her service is one of Alice's favorite stories." I laughed along with Rose.

"So are we good, Edward?" Rose asked.

"Yeah, we're good."

"Good." Rose sighed and closed her eyes, smiling as the sun bathed her face.

I smiled too.

"Does it feel odd for you to be happy and smile, Edward?" Rose asked after a few minutes.

"Yeah, it does. I'm not quite in the good place like you are, but I hope to get there. I like how it feels." I replied.

"I still catch myself slipping back to the old Rosalie. But I like this new me. The hate and anger just eats you up. Whenever I start to slip into the old me I think about little Bella…" Rose cut off her words and thoughts, but not before letting and image slip through that made me gasp.

"Rose, why is there a memory of you and my singer floating around in your head?"

" _Shit!_ " she thought in a panic. Rose sat up and placed her head in her hands. She focused her thoughts on anything but my singer.

"I'm sorry! You weren't supposed to know."

"Know what, Rose? I thought I asked Alice not to meddle?" I pinched the bridge of my nose out of habit, but I wasn't really angry or surprised. I should have expected that Alice would be…well, Alice.

"Alice didn't meddle in her life, I did. It was nothing bad, I promise." Rose steeled her thoughts against revealing any details.

"Her name is Bella?"

Rose nodded. "Isabella actually, but she likes to go by Bella."

"Rose, you know I am assuming the worst possible cases over here. Please just tell me how you met her."

"Okay," Rose sighed. "Alice had a vision that Bella was going to quit dancing. From what Alice saw in the vision, Bella would actually enjoy dance if she had a better teacher. I remember enjoying dancing when I was girl and how it helped me with my coordination and feeling of self worth. It's kind of hard to explain, but it makes you feel pretty and powerful to be able to dance well. As you know, I still enjoy dancing to this day. So, this was after my new outlook on our existence and I wanted to help. I wanted her to at least have a chance to experience what it could be like, so I made arrangements to have her study under a different teacher."

Rose's thoughts showed me what the arrangements entailed. She disabled the teacher's car one night and showed up at the dance studio as a substitute instructor. This was the night Bella was to quit, however Rose spoke with her and the mother afterwards and provided them with the name of a well-respected dance teacher in Scottsdale. Renee, Bella's mother, was worried she would not be able to afford the new school as it was one of the best in the region, but Rose assured them that if Bella signed up, Rose would make a few calls to see what could be done to lower the tuition. In the end, all of her tuition was covered under an endowment provided by the E.A Masen foundation.

"I never spoke to her after that night." Rose added. "She is still taking dance and is doing well, from what Alice can see. Are you angry? Please don't be angry at me."

I pinched my brow again and shook my head. "I'm not angry. It's just…you put the endowment in my human name? Why?"

"I can answer that." Esme replied. She walked toward us from an opening in the tree line. What I could see in her thoughts made me groan.

"Rosalie confided in me what her plan was. I thought it was a sweet gesture on Rosalie's behalf, so I agreed to help out. As you're well aware, we have in the past supported charitable foundations and causes, but always anonymously. In this case, and in a few others that we can discuss, Rosalie thought it was appropriate that you were somehow tied to her idea. So we created the E.A. Masen foundation."

"What other cases are you referring to?" I asked. I was almost afraid to know.

"Well, with regard to Bella," Esme answered. "The E.A. Masen foundation has donated a few thousand books to the Phoenix public library system, as well as provide funding for a bookmobile that happens to stop a block away from Bella's house every week. Alice told us she really enjoys reading, so we all felt that was another worthy cause."

"I have also been using that foundation to fund programs in other cities," Rose continued. "Scholarships for the arts. Library improvements. As well as crisis and support services for abused women. I know in the past I was the one who shied away from human interactions the most, well besides Jasper. But now I want to help others. Placing your name on the foundation is the least I could do given all of the terrible and mean things I have said and done to you in the past."

Given their willful interference in Bella's life, as well as the audacity of attaching my name to their causes, I did the only thing I could at that moment. I pulled both Rose and Esme into a hug and thanked them.

* * *

When it was time for the family to depart, Alice pulled me aside to have a few private words. She kept mentally reciting the Lincoln's _Gettysburg Address_ backwards in Turkish to keep me from seeing her thoughts.

"Edward, I think it is time you went home."

"You know I'm not going to do that." I replied with a sigh. "I'm still not ready to rejoin the family."

"I don't mean to our home. I meant to your human home in Chicago."

"Really?" I asked. I hadn't considered going back, even though I technically still owned my family's old house.

"Yeah, really." Alice answered with a smirk. "Trust me on this."


	16. Chapter 16

~ Chicago, Illinois - November 1999 ~

It took about five weeks to get some paperwork and identification papers before I could return to Chicago. My human home had been held as part of a trust Carlisle arranged for shortly after my change. Over the years, the law firm overseeing the trust hired people to maintain the property and ensure it was largely kept as it was in 1918. Some small changes were authorized by the trust, but I anticipated it would be much as I left it some eighty-one years ago. The current caretakers who oversaw the house where Dr. William Alexander and his wife of nearly fifty years, Josephine. Dr. Alexander was a sixty-nine year old retired pediatrician. Josephine was two years younger than her husband. They both lived next door to my human home in the same house Josephine grew up in. The Alexanders, specifically Josephine, had been looking after the house since the mid 1950s.

My new identification Jasper had arranged for, stated that I was Edward Anthony Platt, the great, great, great nephew of my human parents on my mother's side. My only living relatives were my older sister, Esme, and my cousins Alice and Rosalie. The trust had been notified that I would be taking up residence in the house and that the caretakers could expect me the third week in November, which was this week.

During my rebellious period I spent time hunting worthless dregs in Chicago, but I hadn't been back since. During that time I certainly didn't associate with humans, other than the ones I hunted and killed, nor did I visit my old neighborhood. I was shocked and amazed at the growth and congestion of Chicago of today as compared to my youth. I hailed a cab near the lakefront and had it drive me to my house. The overcast day was perfect for travel so I was able to arrive during the daylight hours.

As the taxi turned onto my street, I almost told the cabbie to continue on. Forgotten memories of me walking this same street took me by surprise. I was unsure if I wanted to remember my human life, but Alice told me to trust her, so I let the taxi pull up in front of my house.

The outside was a bit weathered, but it had obviously been maintained and the paint refreshed over the years. I stood outside the house for a few minutes before the Alexanders approached me.

"Mr. Platt?" William asked tentatively.

I turned to greet them and I shook William's offered hand. "Hello. Yes, I'm Edward Platt. Would you be Dr. and Mrs. Alexander?"

"We are." William said with a smile. "But none of that doctor crap. I'm just William now and my wife goes by Josie."

"Okay, William, as long as you call me Edward." He nodded while I shook hands with Josie. She still hadn't said anything yet. She was aware that I looked very similar to one of the previous owners she had seen in old photographs.

"I'm sorry, where are my manners," Josie finally replied while shaking her head. "It's just…the family resemblance is amazing. You look just like Edward Anthony Masen, the only son of the family that lived here at the turn of the century.

Alice had warned me that Josie was very familiar with my house and some of my family's history. My cover story included that I was named after the Masen's son who once lived here.

"Really?" I asked in mock astonishment. "I was told by my parents that I was named after a distant relative that once lived in Chicago."

"So your middle name is Anthony as well?" She asked.

"It is! I am Edward Anthony Platt." I replied before turning towards the house. "Should we go inside?" I asked.

"Of course." Josie replied. She pulled a set of modern keys from the pocket of her jacket and handed them to me. "You will need these."

* * *

William and Josie gave me an unneeded tour of the house before they excused themselves. Before they left, William explained that some of the original furniture had not made it over the many years the house sat dormant. Likewise, all of the rugs, curtains, bedding, and other fabrics had been removed because of deterioration. Most of my family's personal belongings had been crated up and placed either in storage up in the attic or in the crawl space below the first floor.

After William and Josie left, I roamed the house.

The more I wandered around, the more memories trickled into my mind. One of the first things I noticed was the relatively modern electrical and water service that had been installed in the house. Until I was about fifteen or sixteen, the house had no electricity. The memory of my father priding himself on being the first house in the neighborhood to have electric lighting made me laugh. I stood in the front foyer and flipped the switch repeatedly just like he did.

Being in the kitchen brought back memories of my mother scolding me for sneaking gingerbread cookies before a holiday dinner. In my father's library, I could still detect the smell of his pipe tobacco amongst the aroma of the old law books. Upstairs, in my room, I sat for hours on the floor as pieces of my childhood filtered back to me. As I spent time in each room I new piece of myself was re-added to who I was.

Alice was right; coming to my human home was going to be good for me.


	17. Chapter 17

~ Chicago, Illinois - December 2000 ~

For the past year, I have enjoyed living in my human home in Chicago. For the better part of a century, my home was kept almost frozen in time. Except for a few modern conveniences that subsequent fire and health codes required, the house would not have been foreign to someone living during the turn of the century.

However, times and tastes change. Over the past year, I had gone room-by-room and renovated and modernized the inside of the house. Updated mechanicals, such as a modern heating and cooling system, plumbing, and safe electrical, were installed. With frequent visits from my family, specifically Esme and Alice, we opened up several of the downstairs rooms. We also added on to the back of the house to include a large state-of-the-art kitchen and master suite upstairs. Some of the furniture that was still usable was kept; the rest was donated or discarded. My plan was to prepare the house for new tenants after I moved on from Chicago. It didn't take more than a few days in the house to realize it needed a family in it. I decided the next set of caretakers would be a young family that could live and grow old in this house.

I still retained the services of the Alexanders as part-time caretakers, even though I was a full-time resident. With contractors coming into the house, I needed to be extra cautious of sunny days, worksite injuries, and my hunting frequency. Given this, I would often be forced to leave for several days at time. When I did, Josie and William managed any construction issues.

During the three days of my change, Carlisle had manage to enter the house and save most of my mother and father's personal effects and correspondence, as well as hurriedly packed away other family treasures. Shortly after I moved in, Esme and Carlisle delivered these to me. As each room was tackled, I meticulously went through any remaining family heirlooms. Some I re-crated to keep, others I discarded. Some triggered memories, most did not.

They only room I would not allow Esme, Alice, or the contractors to touch was my father's library. After my change, most of my few human memories featured my mother. But now that I had spent time in my childhood home, the memory of my father had become much richer. He was a serious and reticent man. Over this past year, Esme often commented that the apple did not fall far from the tree. However he was also very affectionate and generous. He always took time to show my mother and I how much we mattered to him.

In the library, I went through every page of every legal volume my father owned, as I surveyed the notes and comments he had made in the margins. Between these tomes and the crates of old papers I found in the attic, I was able to piece together some of my father's legal cases. His deductions and reasoning skills were amazing. He was also fair and just. This insight into my father brought about a new appreciation of him as a man. However, it was the discovery of a parcel of love letters in my mother's belongings and my father's personal journals that changed how I truly viewed him.

Through the journals, I learned that my grandfather and grandmother had high expectations for my father with regard to his profession and his marriage. It was my grandfather's hope that my father would rise through the social ranks and enter into politics. At first my father accepted and welcomed this fate. For her part, my grandmother worked hard to introduce my father to the debutants and society-fairing daughters of the most influential families in the state. However, all of that changed the day my father met Elizabeth Anderson. She was not from Chicago's first circle of daughter's. She was the youngest child of local merchant. They met during a neighborhood street fair. My father's own writing called it love at first sight.

Between the journal and the love letters, I followed their courtship. I learned that my father was a very passionate man, at least when it came to my mother. She seemed to breathe life into him. The journal and the letters chronicled conflicting viewpoints. In the letters, my father vigorously wooed my mother. Everything in those letters was about her beauty, her smile, and his deep devotion for her. During the same period in his journal, he raged that his parents would not yield and give my mother a chance. As the rift grew between my father and his parents, his love for my mother filled the void. Perhaps the most shocking admission in my father's writings was that my parents had anticipated their wedding vows. In one intimate letter to my mother, my father wrote poetically that it was the most special moment of his life. One specific portion of that letter sparked a lot of internal reflection on my part.

 _Thank you, my Lizzy, for the gift of your love. I now see that something so beautiful and natural could never be a sin. I do not need the blessings of the church or our families to know that the passion we have shared is right and true. In my heart we are now husband and wife, and I am looking forward to privately celebrating our love again. Until we can touch and love one another, I will be thinking constantly of you. And very soon, my dearest, we will stand before God and tell the world what we already know to be true in our hearts._

A month later, they were married in small service, which my father's parents did not attend. I was born three years after they were married.

His journal entries were somewhat sporadic after their marriage, but when my father did write, he never failed to mention how much he loved my mother. An entry a week after my human birth was the last one in the journals. Since initially reading them, I have reflected on many of his journal entries and love letters, but his last entry…his last lesson to me...has meant the most.

 _Down the hall my lovely Lizzy is finally sleeping. Next to her in the bassinet is my greatest joy, my son, Edward. I can already tell he will have Lizzy's eyes and hair, and from his loud and persistent cries, unfortunately my temperament. I am humbled that the good Lord has blessed me with such a life. I shudder to think what would have happened if I had turned the wrong way or bent to tie my laces and missed meeting my sweet Lizzy on that day of the street fair. Would I have ever found her? Would the fates have brought us together? I almost didn't go that day. Father and Mother had wanted me to stay at home, but Jonathan, like the good friend he was, insisted I come with him to partake in the festivities. I will never again underestimate the power of small decisions to alter one's life. The slightest of changes that day would have robbed me of the happiness I now have._

 _Parts of me now understand my Father's compulsion and drive to become successful. I want to give my wife and my son the best this world has to offer. I want my son to have a lifetime of opportunities…no, make that a many lifetimes of opportunities...with each surpassing anything I could ever imagine! However, I vow never to push him down a path he does not want to follow. My father lost his son over that mistake. I refuse to follow in those footsteps. For having the best of the world is meaningless without loved ones to share it with. My Lizzy has taught me that. And now, my son has taught me that._

 _I hope one day I feel worthy of God's many blessings. I feel like I have not done enough to deserve my life, but as my Lizzy reminds me, that is why I should cherish it even more…and I do. I have no way of knowing what lessons I will be able to impart on my son, but I hope one of them is to find his own happiness and cherish it until God decides to call him home._


	18. Chapter 18

~ Chicago, Illinois - October 2002 ~

The one thing I was not able to indulge in after I left my family was my love of cars. After the renovations of the house were complete, I worked with Rose to construct a proper garage behind the house. The new structure had three large bays. One of which contained a brand new, early release, 2003 Mercedes ML55 AMG SUV. I had wanted to get a maxed-out Volvo, but Alice insisted I get the Mercedes. It was nice, as far as SUV's go…fast…nimble…decent foul weather handling...but it was utilitarian vehicle. However, that did not stop Rose from ordering several custom upgrades for it, including a better sound system, suspension and power train upgrades, as well as some more stylish and speed worthy rims.

However the Mercedes was a trinket, a toy, compared to what sat next to it….my brand new Aston Martin Vanquish V12.

My new baby arrived yesterday, and I barely put any miles on it before Rose showed up on my doorstep demanding time to inspect and drool over it. She and I had been going over the car for the past few hours. In its stock configuration, the car could do zero-to-sixty in four and half seconds, and reach one hundred miles-per-hour in ten-seconds. Rose was sure we could improve those figures with a few, although very expensive, tweaks. Not that I had much say in the matter. It was an unwritten, immutable family law that Rose got to work her magic on all our vehicles.

"Edward, can you raise up the front of the car a bit, I want see how much flex the suspension has." Rose had been barking out similar orders for an hour. Normally Emmett assisted her in the garage, but I was not letting him anyway near my baby.

Without any effort, I grabbed the frame of the car and lifted it off the stationary jacks. Rose pushed and pulled on the front wheel suspension arm. In her mind she ran through hundreds of speed, torque, and stress calculations.

"If you want to get this thing to go over two hundred, and have any kind of handling, I'm going to need to replace the upper and lower arms with something stronger and lighter. Maybe ones that are custom milled out of magnesium alloy. I know a Formula One parts supplier that can probably do this for about twenty grand."

Before Rose could make another demand, we heard William and Josie walking down the driveway of my house. I carefully lowered the car back onto the jacks. The sight of me casually holding up the front of the car with one hand would definitely raise some suspicions. Josie did not need any more convincing that I was not normal.

As I had found out over the past few years, Josie had a superior sense of intuition and attention to detail. She deduced early on that I had some ability to anticipate what people would say. To prove it, she would try to trap me into responding to her thoughts rather than her words. She also picked up other small clues, like the lack of any cooking smells coming from my house, or that I was never sick. My family's eyes and complexion also drew her interest. Luckily, she was more curious than inclined to formulate any real theories. My family and I were oddities to her. Regardless of my quirks, as she called them, Josie considered me a kind and good-hearted man. That was enough for her.

Rose and I slid out from underneath the car as they approached.

"Hello, Edward!" Josie called out to us. "William was too shy to come over and ask to see your new car." William blushed at his wife's blunt admission, but her words were true. "So I thought I better bring him over before you catch him spying on you."

"No problem." I relied while I wiped the grease from my hands. "You remember my cousin, Rose?"

"Oh, yes!" Josie answered. "It's so good to see you again!" Her thoughts were filled with comparisons of Rose to the models and movie stars that graced the covers of magazines at the grocery store check out. William also mentally acknowledged Rose's beauty, but his thoughts were primary focused on the car. I couldn't blame him. It was sexy automobile.

"That's the one that is going to be in the new James Bond movie, right?" William asked, as he took in the lines of the car.

"It is!" Rose answered. "Although, Edward here hates that. He's worried everyone will be buying one now that it is be a Bond car." Rose was teasing me, but I did hate that my dream car was forever going to be linked with a movie character.

"Somehow I think the price will keep the soccer moms and neighborhood kids from jumping on the band wagon." William teased back.

Rose and William continued talking about the car, leaving Josie and I out of the conversation completely.

"I think we've lost them," Josie said in jest.

Almost forgetting herself, Rose lowered the car from the jacks a bit too easily and quickly, before grabbing the keys from workbench.

"I'm going to take William out for a spin. I promise to keep it under a hundred." Rose called out. Before either Josie or I could complain or stop them, William and Rose sped off.

"I hope she's serious about keeping the speed down." Josie quipped.

"I doubt it. But Rose has never been pulled over for speeding…yet." I answered while noting the differences in our two thoughts. Josie was worried for her husband and Rose's safety. I was concerned that my car would be returned in one piece. At least we both had our priorities in place.

"Since it looks like they may be a while, I do have a question for you." Josie said.

" _Can you guess what it is, Edward?_ " Josie thought trying to snare me again. However my ability to curb my reactions was too good to fall for such an easy trap.

" _No? Well you're just being no fun today, aren't you._ " She mentally pouted. I did allow myself to smirk, just the slightest bit, over her playful manner.

"I remember you saying you found an old Ouija board while cleaning out one of the kid's rooms. I was wondering if you still had it and if I could borrow it?" She asked. "I'm hosting my book club this month, and being October, we've been reading Practical Magic. So I thought it would be fun to have a mock séance. An old Ouija board would really add to the illusion." Josie's mind mirthfully reflected back to her grandmother, who fancied herself as a bit of witch. Josie mused over the memory of her grandmother and her claims of being able to talk to the dead. She wanted to have the same kind of fun with her book club.

I smiled at her request, as a memory of my Mother and I playing with the Ouija board came to me. At first I was scared when my mother used it. I believed she was talking to spirits, but then she showed me how she staged the whole thing.

"I do have one, and you are more than welcome to borrow it!" I happily replied. "I may even remember how to manipulate the wooden planchette to make it seem all real. Come on, let's go find it."


	19. Chapter 19

~ Chicago, Illinois - April 2004 ~

Despite living in my human home for over four years, I still had very little emotional attachment to the loss of my parents. I never was given a chance to grieve their demise before my change. After I became a vampire, my newborn emotional state, and my disgust with what I had become, really did not give me much of a chance to dwell on their deaths. In the decades since, I have never given much thought to the grief and loneliness death could cause. Even though I had killed humans and vampires, I never had to personally experience the postmortem emotions or thoughts of loved ones. Over the years, Carlisle and I had several academic discussions on the subject of a vampire losing one's mate. Those had centered on Carlisle's time living with the Volturi. Specifically the tragedy that had befallen Marcus Volturi's mate, Didyme, and the eternity of paralyzing grief Marcus now endures over her loss. But without the opportunity to experience Marcus' thoughts, I could not really appreciate how devastating losing a mate could be.

It was because of my lack of experience with death's aftermath, that I found myself unprepared to deal with the death of my next-door neighbor, the former caretaker of my family home, my friend, William Alexander.

Last month William died of heart failure. A year ago I started to notice an irregularity in his heartbeat. After some prodding he went to see the doctor. After a second and third opinion, he resigned himself to his fate.

William passed away surrounded by his two sons and his wife of over fifty years. His death was peaceful, and his final thoughts were of his beloved Josie. He hated leaving her, but he knew they would be together soon.

After the funeral, Josie's sons stayed for a while, but soon their own lives required them to leave. They both offered and begged her to come with either of them, but Josie would have none of it. She put on a brave facade until they left. Then her life crumbled around her. I was not prepared for the despair and loneliness echoed in her thoughts. She had spent over fifty years married to William. He was more that just her husband. He was her best friend, her confidant, her emotional crutch, and her lover. One of her sons would call at least once a day, and for those few minutes, she found the strength to sound composed and happy, almost eager to hear the latest news about her grandchildren. However, after each call she would tumble back into her pit of misery and suffering. She missed her William with every beat of her broken heart.

Over the decades, I had heard the remorse of countless humans over their loss of a loved one, but I never allowed myself to feel and experience their grief. I had always stayed emotionally detached. However, I truly liked the Alexanders. Josie and William were more than human acquaintances…they were friends. If this is how it felt to lose a beloved human spouse, I couldn't even imagine the pain a vampire, with our heighten emotions and senses, would go through after losing a mate.

I tried my best to comfort Josie, but I could read in her thoughts that there was nothing anyone could do. She knew her pain wouldn't go away with time. She knew that the only thing that would bring her peace was death itself. William and Josie both had a strong faith in God. I knew that William was sure he would see Josie in heaven. For Josie, seeing William in the afterlife was a certainty that could not come fast enough.

Last weekend, her sons offered to fly out and visit with their families. They were worried about her. Her oldest boy, Harry, even called me and asked how she was truly doing. I did not want to lie, so I just said she was doing as well as could be expected, and that I would keep an eye on her. What I did not say was, Josie did not want her sons and grandchildren to see her die. That was the real reason she begged them away. She did not want her sons to know that she hoped every breath she took would be her last.

I had been monitoring her thoughts throughout this past evening and into the night. Part of me wanted to go over and relieve her suffering by sending her on to be with William, but I waited. I knew her time was short. She lacked any will to continue on. As she drifted in out of consciousness, Josie started to have conversation that rocked me to my core. When I heard the word _vampire_ , I shot out of the house and into hers. A second later I was kneeling beside her.

" _He is doing fine, Lizzy, but I can tell he's lonely and bit sad._ " Josie rambled on. Her eyes were closed and she looked so serene. In her thoughts I could see she believed she was talking to my mother. " _He looks remarkably good for his age. Oh! And you should see him in the sunlight! It's like diamonds!_ " Josie let out weak giggle before continuing, " _He is such a good man._ "

The vision of my mother in Josie's thoughts answered back. " _Before you go please tell Edward his father and I miss beyond words. We are both so proud of the man he has become._ "

" _I will dear._ " Josie replied to my mother. Her eyes opened and looked at me. "He is here now, Lizzy. I think he heard everything you said, which is good because I don't have much longer." Josie paused as the image of me in her eyes changed a bit. I looked mostly the same, but my eyes had changed from amber back to the green they were when I was a human. "I never noticed before, Lizzy, but he has your eyes."

" _And his father's loving heart_ ," my mother replied back before reaching out her hand. My father, who came into view, took it.

" _I hope you can hear us, Son._ " My father spoke as he put his arm around my mother. " _I'm not sure we are allowed to be doing this, but Josie insisted._ " My father glanced over his shoulder as if he was looking out for someone.

"Better to ask for forgiveness later, than miss this chance." Josie replied with a sly wink to me.

" _We love you, Edward._ " My father said with a hitch in his voice. My mother nodded in confirmation as tears rolled down both of their cheeks. " _We never wanted to leave you_ ," he continued, " _but at least Dr. Cullen helped you escape our fate._ "

" _You had too much life to live, Edward. I just couldn't let you die and I knew Dr. Cullen could save you!_ " My mother added, now openly crying. " _I just hope you don't hate me for it. I know you have struggled so much._ "

She looked so sad and worried for me. I wasn't sure if this was a dream, or a hallucination, or real. But I wasn't going to let this opportunity pass me by, even if this was all in Josie's or my mind.

"Please don't cry, Mother. I…I don't hate you. I never did _._ " I said sincerely as my words pushed past the lump forming in my throat. "I now understand why you asked Carlisle do you what he did. Thank you for insisting he change me. It's just…am I a monster? Am I damned?"

" _Oh, my dear boy!_ " My mother sobbed into my father chest. " _No…No...You're not a monster! Never!_ "

My father comforted my mother. " _Your mother and I both know that your new life was not of your choosing, but you've done so well._ " He replied. " _You have a new family that loves you almost as much as we do. It is not up to either your mother or I to know what God has planned for you, Son. But you have a good heart…you have a good soul. Trust in that._ "

Josie's eyes closed and the vision of my parents started to fade.

" _Don't worry, Edward._ " My father called out as he faded away. " _The best is still yet to come for you. You will find your way, Son. You will find your happiness._ "

"I love you, Father! I love you, Mother!" I called out to their vanishing forms.

" _We love you too, Son! We will always be watching over you..._ " I heard my mother say as they disappeared.

Josie's mind clouded over as her breathing slowed to near stop. Her heartbeat was weak and dying.

"I never got say goodbye to them before." I whispered. " Thank you, Josie."

Even though her eyes were closed she smiled. " _You are welcome, Edward._ " she thought, before her aching heart took its last beat.

In her mind, she saw herself rise up out of her body. Standing over herself, she turned and gazed into the distance. A feeling of pure joy and contentment overcame her.

" _Yes, I'm coming, William! Hold your horses!_ "


	20. Chapter 20

~ Chicago, Illinois - April 2004 ~

I sat next to Josie's body for over ten minutes reliving the surreal conversation I thought I had with my dead parents. I would've sat there for hours, but my cell phone rang. It was Alice calling me to covey her condolences, as well as to tell me the family would be coming out for Josie's funeral. She also suspected I would welcome the opportunity to speak face-to-face with Carlisle about what I just experienced. I asked her directly if the conversation was real. Alice's response was that the vision was as real as any other she had. Frankly, she was at a loss, much like I was. Before hanging up Alice, told me check on Josie's nightstand.

On her nightstand were two sealed letters addressed to her sons, a copy of her will, and a note to me.

 _Edward,_

 _Please let my sons know that I am at peace now and with their father. I left them each letter saying the goodbyes I could not do in person. I suspect you know more than anyone how difficult these past weeks have been for me. Thank you for being here with me at the end. I hope that my gift to you will bring some peace to you and your loved ones._

 _Have a wonderful life!_

 _Josie_

* * *

Four days later Josie was buried next to William. I offered to help Josie's family, but initially they were not pleased with my presence. Her sons disliked that her final moments were spent with me, rather than with her family. However, after they each read Josie's letter, they understood that she did not want her son's final memory to be of her death. Ultimately, they took comfort knowing their mother did not die alone, and that she departed this world on her own terms.

After the funeral, my family returned with me to my home, but let Carlisle, Esme, and I have some time together. They all could hear our conversation anyway, which I didn't mind. They were all fascinated by what had transpired, just like I was.

Carlisle and Esme sat across from me in my father's library. I told them both, and the rest of my eavesdropping family, about the night Josie passed away.

When I was done I looked up at Carlisle and asked the questions that had been gnawing away at me. "So, do you think it was real? Did I actually have a conversation with my dead parents? Or was it some figment of Josie's or my imagination?"

Carlisle and Esme sat in a stunned silence, as did the rest of my listening family. I desperately wanted my family's opinions on what happened. Selfishly, I wanted to believe that Josie somehow bridged the chasm between the living and the afterlife, so that I could be briefly reunited with my parents. However, accepting what happened as being real required me to have faith in something much larger than a conversation between a son and his parents. I would also have to accept their words and their ultimate meaning. Could I acknowledge and embrace that my immortal existence was actually sanctioned by nature and part of a much larger, and possibly divine, plan? The ramifications of believing would force me to change my perception and acceptance of my eternal life.

After a long moment, Carlisle finally spoke.

"Edward, I believe a person's reality is based on perspective, knowledge, and faith. If you ask most humans, they would say that vampires are nothing more than myth, yet we know that not to be the case. And what of the Quileutes? Any rational being would say that humans transforming into giant wolves is the substance of fairytales, but again, we know different." Carlisle paused to sort his thoughts before continuing. "Because of my faith in the divine. Because of my perspective of being a supernatural creature in an unbelieving world. And most importantly, now having the knowledge that you experienced something previously unknown, but seemingly credible, as I have never been given any cause to doubt your or Alice's gifts or insights. Plus, you had mentioned she knew your human eye color, she called you a vampire, and that your Mom mentioned my name and a reference to her request of me to save you. How would Josie have known of my interactions with your Mother and yourself back then? Given all this, for me...what you experienced was real. But that is just my personal view. I know you are looking for absolute confirmation, but I cannot provide that. No being, immortal or human, can in this case."

I couldn't help the frustrated frown that overtook my face. What Carlisle said was logical and sensible…and not what I wanted to hear. He was right. I wanted absolutes, but ultimately, I knew it would come down to what I could, or would, allow myself to believe.

"Edward, if I may add something?" Esme asked.

"Of course." I replied with a nod.

"I believe what you experienced was real, just as surely as I believe in my love for Carlisle and our family." Esme's thoughts validated her words. There was no doubt in her mind that I conversed with my parents.

"More importantly," she continued. "I believe that you have been given a gift…a very special gift. Allow yourself to accept Josie's gift. Allow yourself to believe. The analysis, inspection, and logic that you are prone to undertake and expend are not needed, just have some faith. Use the comfort and insight of speaking with your parents to unburden yourself of what has weighed you down for so long. Allow yourself to close that chapter of your life, so you can open yourself up for the next. Your own father told you that the best is yet to come. Accept that. Embrace that. Have faith in that."

The thoughts of the rest of my family echoed Carlisle and Esme's.

Perhaps it was just that simple for me now. Accept what I've I learned, heard, and seen, and allow it to take up residence in my heart, mind, and soul.

Carlisle was right. I could see it now. I could accept it now. Reality is based on perspective, knowledge, and faith. For the first time in my existence, I felt that I now had the tools to work and mold those three components to form a reality where I could find peace and happiness within myself.

The Chinese have a saying that " _a journey of a thousand miles begins with one small step._ " I began taking my small steps almost seventeen years ago when I left my family. It took a long time, but I now felt that the journey was going to be worth the effort. I had no idea how far way the destination may be. I just knew I had to keep taking my small steps. Which now included forgiving myself for any past indiscretions and moving forward. To truly live and enjoy this extraordinary life my parents wanted me to have. To become the man I wanted to be.


	21. Chapter 21

~ Forks, Washington - July 21, 2004 ~

I passed the "Welcome to Forks" sign in my Mercedes SUV and drove through the heart of the town I would be calling home. After Josie's funeral I decided it was time to reunite with my family. I may not have found my mate, but it was time I stopped running away from the people that loved and supported me. Being with them was never the problem. I was the problem. I needed to grow up. Like the seventeen year old I was…and still am…I needed to experience my life before I could appreciate being with my family. The desire to find myself was just as important as finding my mate. I couldn't say I was delighted that I failed at one of those goals, but I am glad I succeeded in finding the Edward Cullen I could happily live with. I also realized that I no longer needed to go out into the world to find my mate. I had faith, which was amazing for me, that when the fates want me to find my other half, she will come into my life. In some respects I am glad I hadn't found her yet. I don't think the old me would've been a very good companion. Now that I no longer loathed my existence, I have allowed myself to see that when I meet her, I will be able focus on us as a couple and not worry that I am unworthy of receiving the gift of her affections.

After passing the high school, I drove towards our family's new house. When we last lived in this area during the 1930s it was further south, almost halfway to Hoquiam. However about twenty years ago, Esme found a remote house, with plenty of land, north of Forks on the Sul Duc River. My family had been planning on moving here for the past couple of years, but Alice persuaded them to wait. In fact, they would not be moving out here for another six or seven weeks. The plan, according to Alice, was for me to arrive first and get things settled at the house, then the family would join me just before school started in the fall. Esme had selected this property, not only for its remote location, but because it also had a small cottage situated about a five hundred yards from the main house. Over the past year, the primary residence had been renovated from afar by Esme, but only necessary structural work had been done on the cottage. Despite my desire to be with my family, I still needed some separation. There were still three highly amorous vampire couples in the family, and although I would be able to register their thoughts from the cottage, the distance would make it more bearable.

Between now and when school started, I would undertake the renovations of the cottage myself. Esme had forwarded me a set of building plans that Alice said I should follow. I would be able to make some changes, but Alice had been very specific that certain aspects of Esme's design be maintained. Truth be told, I was looking forward to the work, if for no other reason than to pass the time.

About a half mile before I got to the turnoff for our house, I passed a police cruiser. The officer's thoughts of fishing were faint and almost dream like, which they may have been. About halfway down the long road to our house, I again caught the thoughts of the police officer. He wasn't asleep. In fact, he was now following me down our private road. He was concerned that I was trespassing.

A few moments after I parked the car, the cruiser pulled in behind me. The officer sat in his car sizing me up. His thoughts were very quiet and bit muddled. At first I had wondered if he was a bit slow, but after a couple of seconds I realized that his mental voice was just very soft. I would have to watch out for this officer, as I would not hear his thoughts until he was close by.

The officer doubled checked that his pistol was on his belt, but also that the trigger safety and retaining strap were engaged before he exited his car.

"Hey there," he called out to me. "What business do you have here on this property?"

An image of Carlisle and Esme flashed in his mind. I could tell by his uniform, his name badge, and his thoughts that he was Charles Swan, the Police Chief of Forks. Plus, Esme had told me about Chief Swan and his distinctive mustache, or "porn-stache" as Emmett called it. I tried not focus on Emmett's comments, because if I did, I would end up with a silly grin on my face, which the Chief probably wouldn't like.

"Hello! You must be Chief Swan," I answered calmly as I approach him with my hand extended. "I'm Edward Cullen, Carlisle and Esme's adopted son. They told me I might see you around town." The Chief shook my hand and he noticed it was cool to the touch, but he did not dwell on it. I could tell that he already knew why I was at the house, but I figured I would make small talk with him anyway. "I'm here early to start getting the house setup while my family finishes up back east."

"Oh, well I'm glad to meet you, Edward. Welcome to Forks. Dr. Cullen did mention one of his sons would be by soon, but I just assumed you'd be older. How old are you anyway?"

"I turned seventeen last month, sir."

"That's a bit young to be allowed to live on your own, isn't it? Especially, when your family is across the country."

I could read in the Chief's thoughts that he was concerned I was out here early so I could go wild and be a nuisance. There was also some concern for my safety as well.

"Well, I am of age here in Washington," I replied before Chief Swan interrupted by holding up his hand.

"Actually, you're not. Seventeen is the age of consent, not the age of majority, and the age of consent has nothing to do with it, Edward. Unless you are granted emancipation in this state, it's the age of majority, which is eighteen, that matters with regards to residency issues."

The Chief's mind was quick and intelligent. He knew his statutes inside and out. I paused for a moment, which for him must have seemed like I was shocked and taken back by his words. In actuality, I was wondering why Alice never saw this in a vision. I could've had my identification made to say I was eighteen instead. Plus, that would have saved me another year of high school. Before I could rebut, he continued.

"I don't like the idea of a young guy like you living alone out here so far out of town. However, I may be willing to overlook the _minority_ status of your age, if you promise me that you won't cause any problems, and that you will try to be safe. These woods can be dangerous if you aren't careful."

The Chief liked the idea that he would have something over me. It actually made him more comfortable with the situation as it justified him stopping by unannounced to check up on me.

"Let me assure you, Chief, that I have no desire to cause you any problems. Carlisle and Esme are expecting me to have this place ready before school starts in September, so I expect to be busy. Plus, I'm pretty comfortable in the forest, and if need be, I can take care of myself. But I do appreciate your concern."

Before the Chief could answer, his radio chirped and a voice could be heard asking for him. Charlie used the handset to tell the caller he would be right with them before turning back to me.

"Well, I have to cut this short." Charlie handed me a business card. "Here are my numbers should you need anything, however if you have an emergency just call 9-1-1." Charlie got in his cruiser and started it up before he leaned his head out of the open driver's side window. "I'm keeping you to your promise to not cause any problems, and just remember, you'll never know when I might stop by and check up on you."

"No problem, Chief Swan. Stop by anytime." I answered before he drove away.


	22. Chapter 22

~ Forks, Washington - July 24, 2004 ~

I had spent the past few days familiarizing myself with Forks. Actually that is not true, because it would only take a vampire about ten minutes to know the way around here. It would be more accurate to say that I was familiarizing myself with the borderline that separates the Quileute's territory from the area my family would now be responsible for. Throughout all of the surrounding woods, I wasn't able to detect any sign or scent of the tribe's spirit warriors. After we left in the 1930s, Carlisle had wondered what would become of the two tribesmen that had phased into wolves. We weren't sure if the Quileutes always had shape shifters, or if it was our presence that caused them to change. The one thing I was happy to see was the large size of the deer population. My family was always careful not to over hunt an area, but it was nice to know we would not have to go far should a bloodlust emergency occur.

While I was away on my latest borderline run and hunt, the Port Angeles lumber yard I had visited the previous day, delivered a load of building materials I purchased for the cottage renovation. When I arrived back, neat stacks and piles of lumber, drywall, and other carpentry necessities greeted me. Moving it all back to the cottage would not take long, however I had to take it slow and make several trips because I was expecting the moving company to arrive with my personal items from Chicago, as well as my Aston Martin.

Just after my second trip to the cottage, I heard the sound of tires on our private road. From the sound of the vehicle and the faint tenor of the thoughts, I knew it had to be Chief Swan coming to check up on me…as promised. I knew I had a minute or two before he arrived at the house, so I grabbed the stack of drywall sheets and darted back to the cabin. I didn't want to explain to the Chief how I expected to get over a thousand pounds of dry wall through the trail that lead to the cottage.

By the time the cruiser had pulled to a stop, I had made another quick trip. All that was left was a couple big boxes of nails and some drywall finishing supplies.

"Hello, Edward." The Chief greeted me. He was dressed out of uniform, but his thoughts told me he never really went off duty. He was a dedicated law enforcement officer through to the bone.

"Hello, Chief Swan." I dusted off my hand before we shook.

"I just wanted to see how you were settling in here." I nodded my head while the Chief looked at the remaining building supplies on the driveway. "Looks like you have a bit of project happening. Anything I can help with." The Chief was sincere in his offer, but he was also curious to see how I had been living on my own. His experience with the local teenagers did not paint a picture of responsibility.

"I'm in the process of working on the cottage here on the property. If you don't mind, I would appreciate your help taking this stuff back."

"Sure thing." He replied.

I reached down and picked everything except for a box of drywall tape.

Chief Swan's eye's widened at the load I managed with too much ease. " _Damn, this kid is strong. He grabbed all of that like it was nothing._ " He thought before lifting the remaining box from the ground.

"It's down this way." I motioned to the path leading into the woods. We walked in relative silence except for me pointing out the river and noting the direction we needed to go at a couple of forks in the path.

The Chief's mind was focused on the river and the possible sites he could fish from. My mind was focused on the Chief. Ever since I met him three days prior, I had been trying to figure out why he seemed familiar. I had never been in this region during his lifetime. I knew it wasn't from my family's memories because that would be obvious. It was something else. It bothered me that with a flawless vampire memory I couldn't place why I felt like I had met him before.

Once we reached the cottage, Chief Swan broke the silence. "Wow! I never knew this was back here. It's like stepping back in time. Almost like the fairytale cottages in my daughter's stories."

I stopped suddenly as I saw the image of Chief Swan's daughter in his mind. He was remembering her as a little girl lying in bed, while he read from a large illustrated book of fairytales. What shocked me was the girl herself. She looked exactly like my singer…Bella. In the Chief's thoughts he changed the name of the princess.

 _"Then Princess Isabella…" The Chief read aloud._

 _"No, Daddy! Call her Princess Bella! It sounds prettier." Little Bella admonished her father._

 _"You're right sweetheart, it does sound prettier…beautiful really, just like you." The Chief chuckled and kissed his daughter's forehead before he continued with the story._

I suddenly knew why Chief Sawn was familiar. I had seen a younger version of him, sans the mustache, in Bella's mother's thoughts the night I first came across them outside the dance studio. I struggled with how he could be here. I struggled with how and why I was here with the father of my singer.

 _Did Alice know this before I was told to go out? Of course she did! The entire family most likely knew except for me._

 _Was Forks chosen so I would meet him? No. Esme has wanted to move here for over twenty years. Carlisle purchased this property nineteen years ago and the family has waited for the right time to move back to the region._

 _Was my singer here? No. I would have picked her scent all over the Chief and when I was in town._

Chief Swan pulled me from my deliberation. "Edward...You alright, son. You like you have just seen a ghost." It wasn't often that a vampire lost his focus, but I could see from the Chief's thoughts that I looked as stunned as I felt.

I shook my to clear away my thoughts and regain my focus.

"I'm sorry. I was just lost in thought about something. You said you had a daughter, how old is she?" I asked. I was determined to probe the Chief's thoughts for information.

However, the Chief did not like my question. He jumped to the conclusion that I asked because I wanted to see if she was old enough to date. The Chief did not like to think about his daughter dating. The Bella he now pictured in his thoughts was a teenager…a beautiful teenager, with gorgeous chestnut hair and expressive brown eyes. My singer was all grown up. I suddenly disliked the idea of her dating as well. My need to protect her was reignited by that single thought.

"Why do you ask?" The Chief asked in return. I decided I wouldn't press the issue at this time. I found out all I needed to know from his thoughts…at least for the time being.

"I'm sorry. It was rude for me to ask about your family." I replied, hoping to change the subject. The Chief was relieved at my response. He didn't really trust me. He wanted to, but his police training wouldn't yet allow it. After I earned his trust, I would be able to learn more. "Come on, let me show you around the cottage."


	23. Chapter 23

~ Forks, Washington - July 24, 2004 ~

After showing the Chief around the cottage we headed towards the main house. He wanted to stop by the river so he could spy some good fishing locations. Our conversation remained fairly normal and mundane. He was impressed that a kid my age would be undertaking the renovation of the cottage by himself. He was worried that I could get hurt during the construction, and without my family being around, no one would be available to come to my aid if I needed it. The idea that I could get hurt working on the house was comical, but I could appreciate his concerns. Before we left the river, he made me promise to always keep a phone close by just in case I needed to call for help. He also made me promise to get the local building code inspector out here to make sure I knew what I was doing, which again was comical.

Once we got up to the main house, I offered him something to drink. Surprisingly, he accepted. As we sat on the back deck, he took a long sip of his lemonade, that Alice told me to purchase just yesterday. I held my glass, but I never took a sip.

We spent a bit of time talking about the Mariner's starting line up and their current bullpen troubles. Besides fishing, the Mariners' and the Seahawks' were the Chief's other off-duty obsession. After we exhausted the topic of the Mariners', he turned towards school.

"So you are going to be what? A senior? A junior this year at school?" He asked as he looked out over the forest to the river below.

"A junior," I replied. I didn't mind talking with the Chief. From his thoughts I knew he was good man and he seemed to enjoy talking to me. He thought I was old soul like his daughter. Which was another reason I liked talking to the Chief. Every once in a while his thoughts would drift to Bella, like they did after I answered about my up coming grade level.

" _Just like Bells._ " He thought.

"And you have other adopted brothers and sisters moving west with Dr. and Mrs. Cullen?" I could see from his thoughts that he had already met Alice and Jasper. He liked Alice, but he was not too thrilled with Jasper's first impression. From his memories, it was clear that Jasper was having an off day with regard to his feeding schedule. His eyes in the Chief's memories were starting to get black. Jasper had always been tentative around humans to begin with, but when his thirst was up, he became even more withdrawn.

"I do." I replied, before telling him all of their cover stories. "I have a sister, Alice, and a brother, Emmett. Carlisle and Esme adopted the three of us around the same time. A bit later they adopted Rosalie and Jasper Hale, after their parents died. We are all one big mashed together family."

"All around the same age correct?"

"Yeah, Alice and Jasper are seventeen and will be juniors like me. Rosalie and Emmett are eighteen and will be seniors. And, I should warn you, as we know some people will like to gossip. Alice and Jasper, as well as Rosalie and Emmett are each a couple." The Chief raised an eyebrow in shock. He wondered how Carlisle and Esme would allow such a thing. The local statues regarding incest passed through his thoughts.

"I know it's…strange." I countered before he could respond. "But all of us are from broken homes. Carlisle and Esme are just glad they all found someone to share their lives with. They're not concerned what a few wagging tongues may say, as long as everyone is happy."

"And none of you are actually related?" The Chief asked. His thoughts flashed to our skin and our eyes. He knew from speaking with Carlisle that we weren't biologically related to one another, but after seeing first hand the similarities between Carlisle, Esme, Jasper, Alice, and now myself, his interest had become piqued. Luckily, the human body and its quirks provided us with a sketchy answer. Hopefully the Chief would accept it. If he decided to dig into our cover story, we would have to move on before we even got settled.

"No. We're all unrelated. However, we all share the same enzyme disorder. You have probably noticed the similar amber color of our eyes, the general paleness of our skin." I paused and reached out to touch the Chief's forearm with my hand. "And, a lower skin temperature." The Chief nodded so I continued. "A deficiency in our tyrosinase enzyme causes changes in our metabolism, skin, and eyes. I guess you could call it a cousin of albinism. It is not life threatening, but we all must limit our exposure to direct sunlight and follow certain diet restrictions. Carlisle met Esme because of their common affliction. When they decided to adopt, they sought out kids that suffered from the same deficiency. It makes living together less of a burden since we all share the same restrictions."

Chief Swan nodded and thought over my explanation. He quickly assimilated the enzyme disorder cover and accepted it. However, he was still hung up on four of the kids being a couple. The Chief himself was not one for idle gossip, but he knew in a small town like Forks, our unique living arrangement was bound to get people talking. Add in the illusion of incest, plus our physical similarities, and our arrival was destined to be a gossip cyclone. He hoped that my family had a tough enough skin to handle it. He did decide to talk to Carlisle directly about everything we just went over. It wasn't that he didn't believe me, so much as he was hoping for more details. The couple of times over the past year that he had met Carlisle and Esme he liked them both. He was amazed that a young couple would take on the responsibility of adopting five teenage children. He was equally astonished that a doctor of Carlisle's pedigree had chosen a small town to practice medicine. He guessed that Carlisle could make double, maybe triple, at a city hospital. He felt Forks and the surrounding area needed good people like Carlisle and Esme, so he was willing to give them, and the rest of our family, the benefit of the doubt. However, if our stories didn't mesh, he was not above doing some checking into our backgrounds.

We sat in silence for a bit before he spoke again.

"So, Edward, what are your plans for after high school?" He asked.

Normally, my stock answer had been to go to college for science or pre-med, but after my time alone I wanted to do something different.

"Well, I still have some time, but I think I want to study criminology." I honestly replied. Given my gift, determining guilt or innocence was easy, but I now wanted to better understand the intricacies of criminal behavior.

The Chief was beyond surprised and a bit skeptical. "Really? You're not trying to bullshit or brown nose me are you?"

"No, sir. I have always been interested in people's thoughts and their actions. So sociology was an option. But what has really captured my attention is what drives people to become deviants. After all, isn't the best way to stop a criminal to understand what's in their mind and anticipate their actions? If you do it right, the amount of illegal activities and violence can be minimized."

He studied me for bit. He was surprised how close my feelings on criminals were to his. For him, being a law enforcement officer was not about shooting his gun or the high-speed chases you would see on television. It was about protecting and helping people. I could see that when he worked a case he spent a lot of time thinking about the criminal and forensic details. He hated to chase false leads, or placing the people of Forks, his deputies, or himself in danger. He would use deadly force if needed, but that was his last resort. Chief Swan was a thinking man first.

"Well, I'm surprised." He glanced down at his watch and was further surprised at how long he had stayed. The Chief stood up and checked his pockets for his keys. "I've interrogated you enough for one day." He said with a smirk. "Thank you for the drink and the conversation."

"It was my pleasure." I answered as we shook hands. Luckily, he now accepted my cool touch as a side effect of my supposed enzyme disorder.

"Listen, if you're serious about criminology, I could use some help down at the station. I know Forks is not Seattle or New York, but we do get our fair share of criminal activity. I can't pay you anything, so think of it like an internship. Most of the work will be boring, but it would give you an opportunity to review some of our casework files. Maybe it can help you to see if this is really the life path you want to take."

Chief Swan's offer was sincere. He had his two deputies at the station, but the three of them traded shifts. He also had a receptionist, but her hours were not steady. He would like to have someone who could help review files and manage the office minutia that always seemed left undone. For me, it would hardly be a challenge, but it would allow me access to inside information on the Clallam County criminal scene, as well as allow me to make sure nothing bad happened to Bella's father. If I happened to learn more about my singer in the process, that would just be a side benefit.

"I would like that a lot, Chief Swan. How about I stop by the station on Monday."

Chief Swan nodded and smiled. He liked the idea of having a protégé.


	24. Chapter 24

~ Forks, Washington - August 03, 2004 ~

I pulled up into the Forks Police Station parking lot just after 3:00pm. It was my fourth day helping out at the station. Much to my surprise, the Forks Police Department was quite a busy place. Mostly because of the amount of territory they had to cover. Granted most of the calls were traffic related, but at least once a day something out of the ordinary required their attention.

"Hello, Betty," I greeted the part-time receptionist. Betty was in her sixties. She was sassy and brash, and loved the Chief like a second son. Ever since I started, Betty had been contemplating asking her granddaughter, Angela to stop by when I was around. Apparently we were both the same age and she thought we would make a good couple.

"Oh, hi, Edward," She replied back. "The Chief is out on an accident call on the South 101. He left some files on the desk there for you to look at, sweetie. Hey, do you think you could handle the phones until the service takes over? I would like to stop by the market."

"That shouldn't be a problem. You take off and I'll handle things here."

"Oh, great! Thanks! Hey, you should come by on Sunday for dinner, Edward. My granddaughter, Angela, will be there. I think you two would hit it off." Betty's thoughts drifted to her granddaughter. She was not flashy, but still pretty. Betty was concerned that she was too shy and reserved. Her father was a minister and very conservative. Angela's mother was Betty's daughter. She used to be vivacious and outgoing, but after years of living with her minister husband, she had become boring, at least in Betty's eyes. She loved her granddaughter and wanted her to find her spirit.

I hated this part of moving to a new town with the family. For first few months, or at least until people knew I wasn't interested, I always had to deal with the invitations and propositions.

I put a smile on my face and politely declined. "I can't on Sunday, Betty, but thank you."

"Okay, Edward. But be warned, I don't give up easily." She replied back with a wink before leaving the station.

* * *

About two hours after I arrived, Chief Swan returned from his traffic accident call. His thoughts were filled with the mangled motorcycle that hit an oncoming SUV. The Motorcycle driver was rushed to Forks Community Hospital, but he did not expect the man to live. The SUV passengers were largely okay, but they would spend the night at the hospital for observation.

"Hi, Edward," the Chief greeted.

"Good afternoon, Chief Swan."

"Not really." The Chief sighed and shook his head. "I hate motorcycles. You don't have one do you?"

"No, sir." It wasn't a lie. I didn't have one currently, but I have owned several over the past few decades.

"Good. They're nothing but death traps." The Chief shook his head trying to clear the accident from his thoughts. He looked around the small station for Betty.

"She left early to go to run some errands." I replied before catching myself. It wasn't the first time I had responded to the Chief without him talking. He cocked his eyebrow at me as he wondered how I always managed to anticipate what he was thinking.

"Okay." He said slowly. "Any messages?"

"Nothing, Chief. It's been quiet."

The Chief nodded and walked to his desk. He locked his pistol in his desk drawer and sat down with a sigh.

"So how's it going with the files?" He asked. The chief had left me a stack of unsolved cases that had been on the books for the last year. The files were a mix of hit-and-run, shop lifting, vandalism, and in one case, the death of some livestock and horses on a farm outside of town. I had actually run into the property owner at the lumberyard several days back and his thoughts betrayed that he killed the animals so he could make the insurance claim. At that time, I wasn't going to do anything about his mental confession, but now that the Chief had handed me the file, I felt I needed to do something.

"I finished going through all of the files you left." I replied as a grabbed my notes and the files.

"All of them? Wow, I figured that would take you at least several days to get through those." The Chief was more than surprised that I could go through the files that quickly. He wondered if I really read through them, before he glanced at the dozens of pages of notes I had taken. _"Damn, the kid works fast!"_ I internally cringed as he added that to list of oddities he had been collecting on me.

"I did." I simply answered. I pulled out the animal death file and opened it. "I think in the Mitchell file it was a case of poisoning by the owner that killed the animals."

"Really? How did you come across that?" He asked. "We didn't find anything poisonous at the farm?"

The Chief secretly thought it was Robert Mitchell who killed his own animals, but nothing supported his suspicions. Plus, the case was not really his at this point. The Clallam County Sheriff's office had opened the case after Robert Mitchell filed a criminal complaint that someone had poisoned all his livestock and horses. Chief Swan was surprised Mitchell had gone to the county sheriff rather than come to him. Only after the Clallam County Sheriff's office came up empty, was Chief Swan called in to see if he could lend a hand. The Chief had interviewed Mitchell and the parties listed in the file, but he could not find anything. Also, by the time the Chief was called in, the Sheriff's office had cleared the animals to be destroyed, so no further forensics could be done on them. All that the Chief had were the original toxicology reports.

"Well. Mr. Mitchell had several tanks of liquid fertilizer on the property." I pulled out the site inventory sheet and the County Sheriff's photo of the fertilizer tanks. "In his affidavit Mitchell said that these tanks were low urea nitrogen fertilizer he used on his vegetable garden. Which is largely non-toxic. However if you look in the corner of this picture." I handed the chief the picture and he inspected at it. "The hazard label that is visible is what would be on tanks of anhydrous ammonia fertilizer, which can be very toxic."

"Hmm." The Chief said to himself and reached for the file. He pulled out the next sheet, which is what I was going to show him next anyway. He was already heading down the path I was on. "By the time I was called in these tanks were gone. Robert had said at the time that he returned them to the farm supply warehouse to be refilled."

"Exactly!" I answered. "Now I just did some checking before you came." The Chief raised his brow at me again. "I called the farm supply warehouse and Mr. Mitchell never ordered any low urea nitrogen fertilizer, but he did purchase three tanks of anhydrous ammonia fertilizer, along with fifty pounds of a sensory feed additive. This was a month before the animals were reported dead."

"Sensory feed additive?" The Chief asked.

"Yeah. I had to look that up too. It is an additive that makes animal feed more pleasing to their taste and smell." I replied.

The Chief completed the line of thought. "Or to mask the fertilizer from the animals. The toxicology reports list deadly levels of nitrogen in all he animals. Ammonia-based fertilizer would do that, right?"

"Absolutely." I answered. I reached behind me for a paper and handed it to the Chief. "Here is the purchase invoice. I had the farm supply warehouse fax it over."

The Chief looked over the invoice. "I personally called the farm supply myself and requested his invoices, how come this was not included?" He asked more to himself than to me.

"Actually, I asked them that. After some prodding, the clerk let it slip that you got the invoices that were billed to his account through their sales system. This was filled separately, outside of the sales system." The Chief looked at me expectantly. "He paid cash for the items on that invoice. Neither the Sheriff's office or you saw that invoice"

The Chief leaned back and rubbed his mustache and chin. "And because it was paid in cash and a delivery out of inventory, the farm supply was hoping to keep this off the books so they wouldn't have pay tax on the transaction."

I didn't understand the separate filing either, but it now made sense.

"A lot of the merchants around here do that, Edward." The Chief continued. "Cash transactions are often viewed as tax-free money. Sure it's illegal, but most think it's harmless, at least until they get caught. Remember, Capone was convicted on tax evasion, not the murders and racketeering he performed."

I wondered what the Chief would think if I told him Al Capone was born only two years before me.

The Chief placed the receipt in the file folder and closed it up. "This was excellent work, Edward. Really. I know that Mitchell received his insurance check. He hasn't been too quiet around town about it. I need to contact the insurance company and speak to them. I will also need to get an affidavit from the farm supply. Mitchell is also guilty of insurance fraud now too. I will take it from here, Edward." He stood and patted me on the shoulder. "Again…excellent work!"

The Chief was amazed at my deduction and research skills. However it was my gift that gave me the advantage the Chief never had. From Mitchell's own thoughts I knew he was guilty. Plus, I was blessed with a perfect vampire memory. I remembered seeing the hazardous warning label for anhydrous ammonia in a textbook during an agricultural science class. The rest, as they say, was history after I made that connection.

"So what else have you found in those other files, Edward?"


	25. Chapter 25

~ Forks, Washington - August 10, 2004 ~

A week after my discovery in the Robert Mitchell case, I was back for another afternoon and evening at the police station. Shortly after my arrival, the Chief received a call from the insurance company that had paid out on Robert Mitchell's policy. They would be willing to proceed with charges for insurance fraud. After the Chief finished his investigation, he promised to forward the evidence to them to review.

With my help, this past week the Chief was able to close two of the other open case files. Both he and I felt pretty good about that. What made him even happier was his current phone call with his daughter, my singer. I was a bit ashamed that I had been listening in on the call through his thoughts, but I just couldn't help myself.

Bella was getting ready to start her junior year of high school in Phoenix, but before school started up, she wanted to come up for a visit. The Chief was ecstatic. There was a time, early on in Bella's life that she did not want to spend a lot of time with him. From the Chief's thoughts, I had gathered that it changed about eight years ago.

Maybe one day I would find out what changed between them. What ever it was, Chief Swan now saw Bella at least a couple times a year. From what I had just heard, Bella would be arriving next Tuesday for a visit. He was planning on celebrating her birthday a month early as a surprise.

I was concerned about how my control would be around her. Under normal circumstances my bloodlust was almost nonexistent. However being around my singer after such a long time away from her would challenge me greatly. Even just thinking of her delicious scent made my mouth flood with venom. Even if I decided to head back east next week, or just disappear, her scent would linger around the Chief for quite a while. I was looking forward to speaking to Alice later to see what she could see. Maybe I would have Emmett and Jasper come out early as an insurance against an accident.

"I'm heading out for the night, Charlie.", Chief Swan's most senior deputy, Mark, called out.

The Chief raised his hand in acknowledgment. He was writing down Bella's flight details.

"I'll see you, Sherlock." Mark called over to me. He was a good man, despite his teasing of me over the Mitchell case…and the pestering to meet his younger cousin. Both him and Betty are shameless when it comes setting up their family members with me.

"Goodnight, Mark. And before you ask, no I don't want you to set me up with your cousin."

"Okay, but she's a real nice girl. I'll bring a picture in, then you can decide." He said as he walked out of the building.

"Was Mark trying to set you up again?" The Chief asked. He folded the sheet of paper with Bella's flight details and placed it in his shirt pocket.

"Yeah. Both he and Betty are relentless." I replied while shaking my head in mock disbelief.

"That's small town living, " he replied. "Everyone gets up in everyone else's business. Whether that's snooping, gossiping, or match making."

I nodded in response before almost gasping at what the Chief was to ask of me.

"Edward," The Chief started while rubbing the back of neck while looking down at his shoes. "Next week my daughter is coming for a visit. She will be here for ten days. I feel a little odd asking you this, but would it be possible for you to hang out with her a bit. Especially during the days I'm working? I hate thinking of her alone here. I know I can trust you, and well, you both can keep each other company."

The Chief finally looked up at me. In the past few weeks since my arrival, he had gone from distrusting me to be alone, to asking me to escort his only daughter around Forks. If I wasn't shocked and fearful for her safety, I would be tempted to laugh at how ironic it was that the Chief trusted me with the safety of his daughter, my singer.

"Chief, I don't think…" I started to reply, but he cut me off.

"Listen, I know this must seem like an odd request, especially given how Mark and Betty have been, but I am not asking you to date her. Far from it! You seem pretty disinterested in girls, not that there is anything wrong with that."

My eyes widened at the Chief's thoughts. He wasn't worried having me around his daughter because he believed I was gay! After all, in his mind I would have to be gay to turn down meeting Betty's granddaughter and Mark's cousin. I wasn't upset over his assumption. However, I knew that Alice would be seeing this conversation. Hopefully she would not let Jasper or Emmett know what the Chief had been thinking…they would never let me forget it.

I held up my hand to stop the Chief from talking. "Chief, I'm not gay. I'm just not interested in having others set me up." The Chief's eyes darted away from me. He was mortified that he jumped to the wrong conclusion.

"Oh, well…I…I'm sorry?" He replied more as a question than a statement.

"It's okay. Really." I answered. I didn't want him to feel guilty. "It must seem strange that at my age I am not jumping at the chance to date, but I'm pretty old fashioned when it comes to romance. In fact, my brother's and sister's claim its like I was born and raised hundred years ago. Its just the way I've always been."

Before the Chief could answer further, a truck pulled into police station parking lot. I was surprised at the thoughts of the driver. I hadn't heard a mind like his since my last visit in the 1930's. A few minutes later the man, bound to a wheel chair, along with his son entered the station.

"Billy!" Chief Swan called out. He rushed over and shook hands with the man and then his son. "Billy, Jacob, I have great news! Bella is coming next week for a visit."

Billy Black smiled at his friend before his eyes narrowed as the leveled on me. I had never met Billy, but I knew his grandfather, Ephraim Black. Ephraim was the chief that negotiated the treaty between the Quileutes and my family. One look and Billy knew exactly what I was. He registered that my eyes were not red. He knew I fed from animals, but that meant nothing to him. I was demon to him and I was standing not ten feet away from his best friend.

Billy's son, Jacob had no idea I was a vampire. In fact he barely registered I was standing in front of him. His mind was preoccupied with the Chief Swan's daughter and whether he would be able to spend time with her next week. Apparently, young Jacob had a crush on my singer, causing a flash of anger and jealously to shoot through me. I felt my finger's flex at some of the images going through Jacob's mind.

I was pulled away from plotting Jacob's demise by Billy's thoughts. He caught me flexing my hand and believed I was doing so because of his presence. He knew nothing of Jacob's adolescent fantasies about the Chief's daughter.

"I'm sorry." Chief Swan said. He was oblivious to the rising tension in the room. "Billy, Jacob, this is Edward Cullen. He is the one that has been helping me on the Mitchell case." The Chief then turned towards me. "Edward, this is Billy Black and his son Jacob. Billy's damn near my oldest friend."

Billy continued to seethe hate as he stared at me. Chief Swan was beginning to notice, so I reached out my hand and greeted them. I decide to address Jacob first as it would be harder for Billy to ignore me if Jacob was welcoming.

"Hello, Jacob." I said. As we shook hands I squeezed ever so slightly until I registered pain in Jacob's thoughts, then I squeezed a bit more. He would get a lot worse if he didn't stop seducing my singer in his thoughts.

"Hi, Edward." Jacob nearly groaned as the pain spiked before I let go of his hand. Next I turned towards Billy holding out my hand.

"Hello, Mr. Black. It's a pleasure to meet you." My voice was light and engaging. The Chief liked that I was so respectful and engaging to his friend.

Billy stared at my hand for a moment before looking away. Instead of taking my hand, Billy eased his chair back a couple of inches. The Chief narrowed his eyes at his friend for not shaking my hand. He was wondering what was wrong with his friend. Chief Swan was about to say something when Billy finally spoke.

"Edward." Billy nearly spat while he gave me a terse nod of his head before turning toward the Chief. "Charlie, I have some fish on ice out in the truck. Harry caught them this morning and thought you might enjoy them. They're all scaled and cleaned. Jacob, why don't you go out with Charlie and put the cooler in his car. Oh and show him the new picture of Rachel I brought with us. It's behind my seat. I'll just wait here and chat with Edward."

Chief Swan was still upset that his friend had been rude, but reluctantly went outside with Jacob. He hoped that Billy would soften up after speaking with me.

"It's been a long time since one of your kind has been in the area." Billy said disdainfully. He glanced over his shoulder to ensure Chief Swan and Jacob were both safely out of hearing range. "I am only going to ask this once. I want to you leave now and never come back."

I couldn't help but have a lot of respect for Billy Black. He knew I was superior in strength and speed. He knew that there wasn't any way he could defend himself against me, yet he was resolved not to show any weakness. He was a proud man, but he was also a hateful man. His heritage and his blood called for him to despise me; as such his desire to see me destroyed was great. However, I wasn't about to allow him to dictate anything. As far as I was concerned, as well as my family, the treaty was still valid. My family had every right to live here as long as we abided by the treaty.

"Mr. Black, I respect your position as one of your tribe's elders, but neither I or my family will be leaving anytime soon." Billy opened his mouth to interrupt, but I continued on. "I remember you grandfather. Ephraim Black was a great man and great chief. He was also a very wise man. He set aside the hatred that boils in your blood and listened. Granted, your grandfather never fully trusted us, but he understood that my family chose to live a different way from the rest of my kind. He knew, as well as you do that I do not feed from humans. Neither does my family. We pose no direct threat to your tribe or the other humans in the area. The treaty your grandfather forged with my family is still in effect. We will abide by it, as we expect your people to do the same."

Billy Black did not like me referencing his grandfather. He felt I had no right to even utter his name. However, his own thoughts betrayed him. His anger and hatred for my kind was real, but he also hated that he would never be the kind of warrior his grandfather and father were. Billy's diabetes had stolen the use of his legs, and more importantly, stolen his ability to phase into a wolf. He resented me calling his grandfather a great man and chief, because he felt he could never live up to his memory. He arrogant and hardline stance towards my family's presence in Forks was, in his mind, the only way for him to come close to being worthy of his grandfather's legacy. What Billy didn't know was that his grandfather desired peace beyond anything else. The current vanity and jealous pride Billy embodied would have been foreign to his grandfather.

"I am aware of the treaty and its contents!" He hissed. "But you're involving yourself in the lives of people I care about. I don't want you near them! You pretend to be human, but you're not. You are not alive. You're a dead soulless demon from hell! You are as far away from a human as one could possibly be. Your entire existence is a lie!"

Not too long ago Billy's words would have resonated with me, but not anymore. Many of my kind match his description, but not my family, and not me. I wished Carlisle were here with his endless reserves of patience and goodwill, because mine were starting to run empty. I knew picking a fight with the Quileutes was in none of our best interests, but I was not going to allow Billy to continue defaming my family.

"It would be a lie for us not follow our hearts and our desires, Mr. Black." I worked hard to keep my voice level and calm. "Your grandfather understood that, despite his inborn hatred of vampires. He saw beyond your tribe's ancient stories. He saw how we chose to live this way. Evil is defined by actions not biology. I do not deny that many of my kind would fall into the category of 'dead soulless demon from hell'. But I will not allow you to claim that of my family. Just how do you think the people of Forks and the surrounding area would handle finding out that your tribe can shape shift into extremely large wolves? Do you think you would be treated with respect and acceptance? Or would they view your kind as monsters? In their eyes how different would a werewolf be from a vampire?"

"How dare you compare us to you blood suckers!" He spat back. Billy's breath was coming in pants. He knew I was right, that to humans outside our supernatural circle, his tribe would be seen as monsters, but he refused to ever acknowledge that to me.

"Why?" I asked. "We are both just twists and quirks of evolution. Some would say both our species are the next step in evolution. I am not here to argue with you over the obviousness of our existence. You know as well as I that evil is independent of the being." I paused before leveling my strongest argument. "Ephraim confided in us what happen to his brother, Manasseh."

Billy's eyes went wide and the mention of Manasseh Black. I could tell from Billy's thoughts that his story was rarely told by the tribal elders, as it is one that is filled with jealousy, betrayal, and death. Manasseh's story does not speak of heroic spirit warriors, but rather of a brother who become so jealous of Ephraim's choice of wife and his position as tribal chief, that he decided to murder his own brother and then take what he coveted…namely his brother's position and wife. The story ended with Ephraim's and Manasseh's own mother being slain when Manasseh phased into a wolf and lost control of his anger after a failed attempt on Ephraim's life. As the chief, Ephraim had to exile his own brother from the tribe, but not before giving him an alpha command to never phase into a wolf again, or to come back to the tribe.

"Mr. Black, it was Manasseh's path to evil that allowed Ephraim to realize that if such wickedness can exist in the hearts of a Quileute spirit warrior, then maybe good could exist in the heart of a vampire. All I am asking of you is to give my family a chance to prove to this generation of Quileute, that despite our biology, my family respects humanity and has no desire to take a human life."

Billy slumped back into his wheelchair as glimpses of other tribal stories passed though his mind. It would seem that Manasseh's story was not unique. He hated to admit it, but over the centuries multiple atrocities against his people happened from within. He doubted he could ever feel towards my family the way Ephraim had, but as it stood, his hands were tied by the existence of the treaty. He decided that he and Jacob would return to the reservation and let the other elders know that the Cullen coven was back in the region. Preparations would be needed for when the spirit warriors reemerged from within the current generation of young Quileutes.

Billy looked over his shoulder at Jacob who was still outside talking to Chief Swan. He knew it was now just a matter of time before young Jacob's blood transformed him into a spirit warrior. He was both sad and proud over that thought.

Billy turned back to me and set his shoulders square and strong. "All I can promise, Edward, is that we will be vigilant and uphold the treaty." Billy responded in defeat. "Only time will tell if more can be achieved between us."

"That's all I can ask." I answered. I slowly held out my hand. Billy eyed it tentatively before giving it one firm shake and then releasing it immediately.

Throughout our conversation, Chief Swan had been keeping any eye on both Billy and I. He passed the time talking to Jacob about his upcoming school year. During their conversation, Jacob had kept asking the Chief probing questions about Bella. After the third or fourth time, the Chief had started to wonder if Jacob had more than friendly feelings towards his daughter. He loved Jacob, but in his heart and mind no one was good enough for his daughter, not even Jacob Black, son of his best friend. It was Jacob's continued thoughts about Bella that cemented my decision to accept the Chief's request to spend time with Bella during her visit. If I had my way, Jacob would not come within a mile of her. In the end, I had to agree with Chief Swan…Jacob Black wasn't good enough for his daughter.

At one point in their conversation, Chief Swan asked Jacob if he knew why Billy would act so rude to me in when we met. Jacob answered that it might have to do with my family's wealth. Billy and Jacob had spotted my Mercedes SUV in the parking lot when they pulled in. Jacob guessed his father disliked me because I was spoiled rich kid. The Chief thought this over while Billy and I verbally sparred with one another. It seemed possible to the Chief that money might be the reason. Luckily, it was enough. Especially after he watched Billy and I shake hands. The Chief was happy we had reached some understanding.


	26. Chapter 26

~ Forks, Washington - August 16, 2004 ~

The Chief and I sat in the station waiting for Mark to arrive. Chief Swan had spent the day in Port Angeles trying to get a county judge to sign off on the warrant to arrest Robert Mitchell for multiple accounts of animal cruelty, obstruction of justice, and insurance fraud. With Bella arriving tomorrow afternoon, he wanted to get this part of the investigation completed before then.

"I'm glad you were able to come in, Edward. Since it was your detective work that made this arrest possible, it's only fair that you should be here when we bring him in."

"It's no problem, Chief. I'm looking forward to it." I replied honestly.

The Chief doubled checked his gun belt and the straps securing his bulletproof vest for the third time in the last ten minutes. He saw me watching him, but he just continued checking his gear.

"I'm always like this," he said while he checked his radio. "Some call it nerves, others anticipation, I just call it smart. Any cop worth his salt should be nervous. If you go in complacent, then you might come out hurt, or worse, dead. I'm not expecting any problems apprehending Mitchell, but I always prepare myself for trouble, just in case."

I nodded and looked to the parking lot. Mark had just pulled up. When he entered, I noticed he was dressed in similar to Chief Swan. The Chief spent a few minutes inspecting Mark's gear while he talked about how the evening should go.

"We'll drive over separately. Once we get close we'll go lights out until we reach the house. With any luck he will be sitting down to eat when we arrive. We'll just knock, present him with the warrant, and bring him in. We'll book him here and he will stay the night in our lockup. Tomorrow, I will arrange to have him transported to Port Angeles so he can formally arraigned. However, if anything looks suspicious, we'll pull back and call the County Sheriff's Office for assistance."

Mark nodded. Normally Mark was very carefree, but not tonight. He and the Chief were all business. The two of them walked over to the locked gun cabinet, where they removed two shotguns, shells, and clips for their side arms. They each checked their weapons, stored their ammunition, and headed towards the door.

After seeing their preparations, I started to wonder if maybe I should trail behind them just in case things went bad during the arrest, but the Chief's next request squashed that idea.

"Edward, you stay by the phones and the radio. Should we need anything, I'll give you a call. We should be back in about an hour at most."

I nodded and then they were off.

* * *

While the Chief and Mark were gone, I focused on Mark's thoughts, as his were louder. However, the Robert Mitchell farm was outside of town and to the southeast. I ended up losing Mark's thoughts about halfway there.

Unable to hear them anymore, I spent my time waiting by going over Bella's upcoming visit. Alice had assured me that she saw nothing bad happening, although there were quite a few holes in her vision given the number of decisions that were to be made over the next ten days. However, I was still anxious. Besides worrying I would hurt her, I was also fretful she would not enjoy my company. To calm myself on at least the first concern, I was planning on hunting after tonight's arrest. The goal would be glut myself on blood until I was sloshy. I figured if I did this every night during her visit, my control should be fine. Plus, in a week my family would be moving out anyway, so if I needed some support, they would be here. The truest evidence that Alice and rest of my family were not worried, was that they never offered to come out early. I knew if any of Alice's visions indicated that Bella would be in danger, they would be here on the next flight.

Fifteen minutes after the Chief and Mark left, my cell phone rang. It was Alice. As soon as I hit the green button to pickup the call, I heard her voice yelling through the phone's tiny speaker.

"Get out to the farm now! Go! Go!" Alice shrieked.

I dropped the phone and nearly took the station's door off it hinges as I sped southward. It was evening, but still light out. I couldn't just run through the town as I could be spotted, so I was forced to loop around downtown Forks. I cursed that this would cost me valuable seconds. Regardless, I would be at the farm in less than a minute. I hadn't run this fast in years, so it wasn't too long before I picked up the thoughts of Robert Mitchell first.

The three of them were now near the barn. Mitchell had spotted them coming and rushed out of the house. He had gun and would rather die than be sent to jail.

I was still too far away! I willed myself to run faster than I ever had, as I silently prayed I would have the speed to reach them in time.

Mark and the Chief entered the barn from different directions. It was dark inside and difficult for them to see. Neither the Chief nor Mark knew about the gun or the owner's intent.

Marked crept inside carrying his shotgun. Without warning, Mitchell stepped behind Mark and hit him hard in the back of the head with the butt of the pistol. Mark fell unconscious, bleeding from the bludgeon wound. Mitchell swung around to see Chief Swan. The Chief had his pistol drawn, but before the Chief could fire, Mitchell squeezed off a shot that hit the Chief in the chest, causing he to recoil backwards and hit the floor.

I was now less than a quarter mile away. I wasn't going to make it!

Mitchell stood over the Chief with his pistol pointed at his head. The Chief's eyes were wide as pain radiated through his chest. He couldn't tell if the vest had stopped the bullet or if went through. The pain was just too severe.

" _I'm not going to jail!_ " Mitchell spat as his finger began to tighten around the trigger. " _I'm sorry,_ " Mitchell added. Chief Swan refused to look away but his thoughts were of his daughter and how he would miss her.

It was at that moment that I burst through the wall of the barn, making it explode into a spray of debris and shrapnel. Mitchell pulled the trigger as I reached the Chief. I shielded the him from the shot, which hit my back and ricocheted away. The Chief's eyes caught mine for the briefest of moments before I turned towards a stunned Mitchell. Just as he started to register my presence, I grabbed his pistol in one hand, shattering it into pieces with my strength. With my other arm I threw him across the open space. Mitchell hit the far wall of the barn with a thud. He was unconscious before he hit the floor. At my full speed I tore the handcuffs from Chief Swan's belt, sped to Mitchell, and cuffed his hands around his back. I was back in front of the Chief before he could blink.

Chief Swan sat in shock. In his thoughts he tried to make sense of it all. The wall exploding. Mitchell's gun going off. Mitchell being disarmed and tossed like a rag doll, before lying cuffed and unconscious.

I started to inspect his chest. I couldn't smell any blood, but his vest was in the way. With a flick of my wrist it sailed across the room. There was no sense trying to hide my strength and speed after what the he just witnessed. I gently probed his chest. He winched in pain, but luckily it was from me pressing on the blooming bruise growing. I sighed in relief. The bullet never made it through the vest. However, I could feel that he had at least two broken ribs.

"Edward?" The Chief finally spoke. His voice was hoarse and ruff. "How?" His mind replayed what it could. "You've been shot!" he yelled recalling the second gunshot that I deflected. He tried to lift himself up, but the pain in his chest and ribs caused him to gasp and fall backwards. I caught him before he could hit the ground and I gently positioned him so he sat up against a wooden crate.

"Chief, don't move. The bullet never made it through the vest, but you have a couple broken ribs. Maybe some internal bleeding. You need remain still, while I go check on Mark." I said calmly.

"But, you were shot!" The Chief wheezed as he grabbed my arm.

"Chief, I'm okay. I promise there isn't a scratch on me, but Mark is hurt." I glance over to Mark's body. The Chief looked over and then nodded.

A blink later I was inspecting Mark's head wound. Again, I saw no sense hiding what I was. The wound was not too bad. I knew from my medical school studies that head wounds bed a lot. However, I could just see the white of his parietal bone. He would definitely have a concussion and need stitches. I gingerly felt around the wound. The bleeding appeared to be superficial and not from under the bone, which was a good thing. I tore a strip of cloth from my shirt and wrapped it around his head. I then lifted Mark from ground and placed him next to the Chief.

"Mark's got a head wound." I told the chief while checked Mark's makeshift bandage. "He has a possible parietal fracture and a concussion." In the Chief's thoughts he noticed the hole in my shirt where the bullet had ripped through the fabric. I decided to not say anything. I reached for the Chief's radio and handed it to him. "Call this in. You need to get medical help out here, ASAP."

The Chief nodded before calling for assistance. After the ambulance and Country Sheriff had been contacted, he looked over to Mitchell.

"Is he dead?" The Chief asked.

"No, just unconscious," I replied.

"He's cuffed?" The Chief asked more to keep the conversation going. He knew I was about to leave.

"He is." I replied. I had to leave, not only the farm, but also Forks. The Chief had seen too much, but I didn't really have a choice. I couldn't let him and Mark be murdered by Mitchell. A plan formed in my head. I could burn down the main house. Esme would be crushed, but in another sixty or seventy years she could rebuild and move back. Jasper would know where I could get a body to plant at the scene. It would look like I perished in the flames.

I could just make out the sirens in the distance. Chief Swan wouldn't hear them for another minute or two. I looked down at the Chief and let out a useless breath in defeat. I guess I wouldn't be meeting Bella after all.

The Chief registered the sad look on my face. "You have to leave, don't you?" He finally asked. He didn't know what I was, but he knew I was not a normal human. This didn't frighten him as much as it intrigued him. All of the oddities he had cataloged about me now made sense. I was surprised at how quickly he could allow his reality to shift. He trusted and accepted what he saw.

"I have to." I answered. An ache in my chest started to overwhelm me. The Chief could just now hear the sirens. "Chief, you have a choice. If you tell them," I nodded towards the sirens, "about what happened you could be putting your life in danger."

The Chiefs' eyes widened, he thought I was threatening him.

"It's not like that." I answered. "I would never harm you, Chief. However there are some of my kind that will not hesitate to kill to keep our existence a secret. I can't tell you any more. Like I said…it's your choice."

The ambulances were about a minute away. I got up and darted round the barn. I placed the Chief's vest next him and dragged Mitchell over towards the Chief and Mark. I didn't have time to do anything about Mark's bandage that was made from my shirt, so I pulled what remained of the garment from my torso and placed it under Mark's head. Finally, I looked around for the bullet that had bounced off me, but I couldn't find it. I would just have to leave it.

I took one more look around. The Chief was smart. He could concoct a story around the scene I staged…assuming he wanted to. It would not be too hard to believe that after Mitchell's gun misfired and exploded, that the Chief was able to subdue and cuff him before calling for help. Then he would have wrapped Mark's head with a piece of old shirt he found. There was no need to explain the hole in the barn wall. The barn was in such a state of general disrepair that if the Chief ignored it so would everyone else. Plus, anything Mitchell would say about what happened could be passed off as him being crazy, which was a definite possibility.

As the ambulances pulled up, I turned towards the Chief one more time. "Goodbye, Chief Swan. Have a safe life."


	27. Chapter 27

~ Forks, Washington - August 16, 2004 ~

I darted out of the barn and stood in the line of woods just by the Mitchell's farm. Darkness had now descended and I was well hidden. The emergency workers grabbed their cases and ran towards the barn. It would be only a few more seconds before they found the Chief.

From inside the barn, I heard Chief Swan's voice speaking into the dark barn.

"Edward, I hope that you can hear me. Please stay. We'll figure something out." The Chief paused. He could see flashlights coming towards him. "I hope you stay, but if your leave, know that your secret will be safe."

* * *

I took a long loop around Forks to get back to the police station. Luckily, no one was around when I arrived. I picked up my phone from where I dropped it and left with my SUV. I was halfway home when my phone rang.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Edward? Are you okay?" Carlisle asked.

"Physically, yes. Mentally, I'm a mess." I answered honestly. "I assume Alice saw what happened."

"She did. It was the only thing you could have done, son. You saved three lives tonight." Carlisle's approval of my actions helped to calm me a bit.

"Three?" I asked.

"The man that was to be arrested would have killed himself after he murdered the Chief and his deputy." He answered.

"I see. Does everyone know?" I asked as I pulled up to our family home.

"They do. They all agree that you did the right thing." Carlisle paused while he listened to Alice in the background. "Listen, Edward, I want you to do the right thing again and stay in Forks. Alice says that there is no reason for you to leave. You staged everything very well and Chief Swan has told the County Sheriff a convincing story. Rose and Emmett are already in route and should be there tomorrow morning."

"So what should I do?" I asked. I heard Carlisle and Alice speaking before she just took the phone directly from him.

"Hi, " Alice quipped. "Wow! That was intense. How did you run that fast? I mean, I never thought you would make it. In the vision I had you arrived late and…well, never mind. You made it. How it happened is not important. Anyway, you need to get cleaned up and go to the hospital to see Chief Swan. He's going to need someone to be there for him." She paused, while she spoke to Carlisle. "Oh, Carlisle wants to talk to you again. I'll see you soon."

Alice handed the phone back to Carlisle. "Edward," he answered, "we are not sure how your talk with Chief Swan is going to go, so tell him whatever you think is best. From what I've gathered from Alice, he has already witnessed a fair amount that cannot be unseen. Perhaps him knowing about us would not be such a terrible thing. Sure, the Volturi wouldn't approve, but given his proximity and friendship with the Quileutes, maybe knowing would be best. See how it goes. Whatever happens, we will deal with it…together."

* * *

Despite Alice's confidence that everything would work out, I should have left Forks. The Chief already knew enough bring down the wrath of the Volturi upon him and I…and possibly the family. However, I couldn't bring myself to leave. Part of it was Alice and her visions. But another, and perhaps stronger, part was that the Chief did not want me to go. In spite of everything he saw and experienced, the Chief asked me to stay.

I parked my SUV at the hospital and entered the emergency services entrance. The receptionist directed me to go down the hall and ask for Dr. Snow. When I reached the open area, I approached the nurse closest to me.

"Hello. I'm looking for Dr. Snow?" I asked. She pointed to a short man with his back to me. From his thoughts he was looking at Mark's chart.

"Dr. Snow?" I asked as I approached him.

The doctor turned to face me. "Yes, I am Dr. Snow. Can I help you?"

"I hope so. I am looking for Chief Swan. I was told that he was admitted here tonight."

"Are you family?" he asked.

"No, but…" I couldn't finish before he interrupted me.

"I'm sorry, only family can be sent in to see him." Dr. Snow replied as he turned away from me.

However from one of the patient rooms I heard the Chief's gruff voice. "Snow! Is that the Cullen boy I hear? You send him in!"

Dr. Snow rolled his eyes. "Go ahead," he said, obviously defeated. In his mind Dr. Snow was secretly glad the Chief would be distracted. Apparently Chief Swan was not a reasonable patient in the good doctor's eyes.

I walked through the door of the room to find the Chief reclined in a hospital bed with his rib cage bound by a compression wrap.

"Edward!" The Chief called out, but then winced in pain. His chest and ribs were very tender. "Shut that door behind you." He commanded in a softer voice that would not strain his chest.

I did as he said before turning towards him. "Hello, Chief. How're you feeling?"

"I feel like a fire hydrant that's been pissed on, to be honest." He replied with a sigh. "But I'll take it any day over the alternative." The Chief paused and reached out his hand. I placed my hand in his and he gave it a good shake that caused him to wince. "Thank you, Edward. You saved both Mark and I tonight. Thank you. And thank you for coming back."

The Chief worked hard to swallow the lump that formed in his throat. Thoughts of never seeing his daughter passed through his mind as he fought the tears collecting at the corner of his eyes. He took a couple of shallow breaths before motioning for me to sit down.

"And you can call me Charlie. I think you earned it." He said with a slight nod.

"Okay, Charlie. I'm just glad I got there in time. How…I mean…what did you tell the County Sheriff?" I reluctantly asked.

"I'll answer, but be warned. Sometime tonight I'm going to be expecting some answers from you." The Chief's gaze bored into me. He had a few theories ranging from radioactive spiders to gamma rays. Apparently the Chief had enjoyed comic books growing up.

Charlie paused and waited for an answer. "You may not like what you hear, but I will answer any question you have. You may rescind your request for me to stay afterwards."

"Fair enough," Charlie replied. "You prepared the crime scene pretty well before you left, well except for the hole in the wall, but no one asked about that." Charlie went on and told me a story similar to what I had hoped for. No one questioned Charlie's version of what happened.

"The County Sheriff had never seen a gun, explode, or implode like that before, though." Charlie added with a dry laugh. "But it was Mitchell's own testimony that tied off that thread. We he regained consciousness he started rambling about an explosion that knocked him out, and then he woke up in cuffs. No mention of you at all, which is assuming he even really saw you. You did move so damn fast."

Charlie stretched on the bed, which caused a gasp of pain, but he continued. "Mitchell's account was close enough to a gun misfiring for the Sheriff to buy it. After Mitchell woke up a bit, he confessed to everything that had happened, including knocking out Mark and shooting me. The bastard planned on killing both of us, then himself, Edward." Charlie shook his head and closed his eyes as the memory of Robert Mitchell standing over him with his gun returned. "He knew we were coming, Edward. Someone he was friendly with in the county clerks office tipped him off that I had a warrant signed out on him. He didn't want to live through the shame of a trial or to die in jail, so he decided to go out with bang…literally."

Charlie closed his eyes and leaned back into the hospital bed. "Christ, Edward! I was second from being dead, but then you came." Tears rolled down Charlie's face. He reached down into his uniform pants pocket with a wince of pain. When he pulled out his hand he held the bullet that ricocheted off my skin. It was flattened as if it hit a steel plate. "This was supposed to kill me, Edward. This should've killed you."

Charlie wiped away the tears from his face with one hand as he squeezed the spent bullet in his other. To him that bullet would forever symbolize what he could have lost in that barn. "I think it's time you give me some answers," he said quietly.

"Okay, but I do have one question first. Actually two. What's the prognosis on Mark and yourself?"

The Chief laughed, and then immediately winced in pain. "Actually, your onsite evaluation was quite correct. I have two broken ribs, right near my sternum, and an ugly contusion. What I need is rest and time, nothing else. Mark has a concussion and will need stitches, but no fractures or hemorrhaging, at least at this time. He will be kept for observation for a couple days to make sure everything stays stable. I can go home tomorrow." Charlie paused and readied himself. "So, it's your turn."

"Okay, but let me start by staying two things. First, if you want me to remove myself from Forks after this talk, I will, and my family will as well. Second, the warning I gave you at the barn is still very real. Humans have been killed for knowing the information I am about to tell you, so are you sure you want me to continue?"

Charlie registered my use of the word ' _human_ ', as in I was not human. A spike of fear shot through him, but then he remembered all of the events at the barn. If I had wanted to hurt him, I could've done so then, or a dozen of other times we were alone together. Charlie took a shallow breath and nodded for me to continue.

* * *

An hour later Charlie knows everything, except for the small detail that his daughter is my singer. He knows that everyone in my family is a vampire. He knows that we feed from animals, but that in our past we have slipped both accidentally and purposely. He knows about our true ages and our immortality. He knows about my medical degrees. He knows about our venom and the basics of how someone becomes like my family. He knows about our bloodlust. He knows about our enhanced senses, speed, strength, and mental capacity. He knows about my family's previous involvement with the Quileutes, but I left out the part of them phasing into large wolves. That is not my story to tell, but Charlie now understands Billy's rudeness when we met. Charlie also knows about the Volturi and consequences for him and my family should the secret get out. I even told him that some vampires have gifts, I highlighted some of the Volturi's, but I refrained from mentioning any within my family. I'm resolved to answer any question he may have, so if he asks about my family and gifts, I will let him know the truth.

For the last few minutes, Charlie has been staring out the darkened hospital room window. His thoughts have been swinging wildly from images of me dressed, and acting, like a film version of Count Dracula, to what it would be like to be an immortal. He also spent some time thinking about Billy and the Quileutes. Over the years, he had heard some of the tribe's myths and legends. He openly wondered if they are supernatural as well.

After a deep, painful breath, he finally turned towards me. "May I ask questions?" He asked in a shaky voice.

"Yes, of course. I will answer anything."

"Okay. When was the last time you took a human life?"

"1931. It was during my rebellious phase I told you about."

He nodded. His questions kept coming as we covered a dozen or so topics. Including my diet choices, the reality of movie myths, and the ways a vampire can be destroyed. He was very thorough in his questioning.

It was now past midnight, and well past visiting hours, but Charlie harassed Dr. Snow until he relented and allowed me to stay. Charlie was getting tired, but he continued on.

"What about crosses or holy water?" I shook my head in reply. The Chief furrowed his brow and struggled with how to word his next question. He did not want to offend me. "So, in the movies vampires are portrayed as evil and often hunted by the church. Are you, you know.."

"Accursed? Damned?" I said to complete his reluctant query.

"Yeah, that." The Chief was not an openly religious man, but he believed in God.

"Charlie, I have struggled with this question. For decades I believed I was damned solely because of what I was changed into. However, I now believed otherwise. Like humans, I believed it is what a man does with his existence that defines whether in the eyes of God he is damned or not. I haven't been perfect in this new life. I have taken human lives. Although I believed them to be worst of men, I still judged them and executed them. I was wrong to do that. Since those dark years, I have tried to be a better man, and I will continue to do so until my soul leaves this earth. I hope that if I am ever brought before God for judgment, that he finds my good deeds have outweighed my bad ones."

Charlie reflected over my answer. Even though I may not be human, he liked that I still thought of myself as a man. His views were similar to my newly enlightened beliefs. He knew, perhaps better than most, that humans were not pure beings. Everyone embodied good and evil within themselves, and it was their actions and words that defined them, as well as provided the basis for how they would be judged on their day of reckoning.

The Chief yawned, which caused him to wince in pain. He had enough answers for the night, so he pressed the call button for the nurse. He was now ready for some pain medication to help him sleep. After he took his medicine, I was given five minutes to wrap things up with Charlie.

"So what's the verdict?" I finally asked. "Do you want me and my family to leave Forks?"

Charlie closed his eyes and relaxed as best he could against the bed. "I'll tell you tomorrow morning when you come to take me home from this place." He said with slight smirk and another painful yawn.


	28. Chapter 28

~ Forks, Washington - August 17, 2004 ~

Emmett and Rose arrived at the house just after sunrise. It was good to have someone to talk to about what happened and my subsequent conversation with Charlie Swan. They were both very supportive of my actions and impressed with the local police chief.

On the lighter side of things, Emmett lamented that it seemed that I was the only one in the family that ever got to do anything exciting. He was especially intrigued at what it felt like to be shot. I told him that it just felt like being stung, but he just couldn't fathom it. Emmett wondered if the Chief wouldn't mind taking a shot at him just so he could feel it for himself.

As Rose and Emmett settled into their room, which meant breaking in the new bed, I headed back to my cottage to get ready for seeing Charlie again and for dealing with his decision.

* * *

I was expected at the hospital at 10:00am to discharge Charlie and take him home. I arrived early so I could check on Mark. The Chief had let the staff know that I was to be admitted to Mark's or his room regardless of the hour. From their thoughts, the staff would be happy once Charlie had been sent home.

Mark was doing as well as could be expected. Having a concussion, the nurses had to wake him up every hour to check on him. This made the normally easy going Mark almost as grumpy as the Chief.

After my visit with Mark, I went to the Chief's room. Dr. Gerandy was now on duty and was going over Charlie's discharge orders. The Chief was not happy. Rest and limitations on his movement were ordered, plus a cocktail of pain medicine. With Mark in the hospital and Charlie ordered to rest, that left only Brad Chambers, Fork's junior deputy, to man the Police desk. The County Sheriff's Office would be sending an officer over to help out, but Charlie hated leaving the people of Forks in their hands. Brad was capable, but his wife just had a baby a month ago. Charlie had been trying to give Brad some flexibility in his schedule so he could be around the house when Jeanie, his wife, needed him most.

Then there was his daughter's visit. Charlie had several things planned for her time here. Being ordered to rest would change their plans, plus he wasn't looking forward to Bella finding out about what happened at the barn. He envisioned ten days of Bella worrying about him and hounding him to be more cautious. Charlie did not like to be mothered.

Finally, Charlie was upset over the press coverage the barn incident had received. The local and state media had already asked to interview him and Mark. In their eyes Charlie was a hero, who, after being shot, fought through the pain and subdued the criminal. Knowing otherwise weighed heavily on him. Charlie had never wanted attention or to be spotlighted for his service. It was a job he loved and he did it for the community he loved. Seeking praise for doing it well was not on the Chief's radar. For Charlie, living with the lie about what actually happened would be harder than him than dealing with the supernatural status of my family.

After some introductions with Dr. Gerandy, who had met Carlisle on his last visit, the Chief and I were left alone.

"Right on time, I see." Charlie quipped. "Help me get my shirt on and then let's get the hell out of here."

* * *

Thirty minutes later, the Chief and I were finally on our way. He sat quietly in my SUV as we pulled out of the parking lot. He was tired and bit strung out. All night he had been plagued with dreams of vampires and arrests gone wrong. He also had more questions, but he was willing to hold off on asking them.

"I want to swing by the station," he said in a commanding tone. Charlie was going to be smart about his recovery, but he was also determined to do what he could to help out at the station.

Our eyes met for a second and I gave him a nod. "Sure thing, Charlie," I replied with smile. He had been waiting for me to object, but he now understood. I was not Charlie's babysitter and he was grown man. If he wanted to return to a limited set of duties, I wouldn't stand in the way.

"My brother and sister, Emmett and Rosalie, arrived this morning," I said to break the silence.

"Were they coming to help you move?" He asked

"If need be, yes. But they just wanted to be here in case I needed some family around." I replied.

The Chief thought this over. Caring and consideration were not traits he would've previously associated mythical vampires. He was starting to accept that we were a true family, despite what our physical makeup may be.

"Edward, I don't know who will be at the station, so I will just come out and say it now. I don't see any reason why you or your family has to leave at this time. I am concerned about a great many things we spoke about, but I am going to trust you and your family, at least for the time being."

"Thank you, Charlie" I replied.

"However, I do have a few conditions." He added. I nodded for him to continue.

"First, I want to meet all of your family. I want to look them in the eye and hear from each one of them that they will do everything in their power to not harm a human life."

"That won't be problem, in fact, I think you will find my family more than willing to get to know you." Images of Emmett asking the Chief to shoot him brought a slight smile to my face.

"Good. Next, I want to understand this treaty you have with Billy's tribe. I suspect he has been keeping some secrets from me. I am going to have a sit down with him, and then I want you both to bury the hatchet. I don't need some supernatural grudge match spilling into my town."

"I agree. If I may, it would probably be best to wait for when Carlisle arrives later in the week. He is the head of our family and I would like him to be there."

Charlie nodded. He liked the respect I showed for Carlisle. "I can live with that." he replied. "Also, no keeping secrets from me. I am not saying you haven't been truthful, but I suspect last night you left out some things. I am okay with that. However, if I ask a question, I expect a direct, honest answer."

The Chief paused, he was not comfortable with what he was to demand next, but it was the only way for him to mitigate the risk of my family living amongst Fork's unsuspecting citizens. "Edward, my priority is keeping this town safe. I doubt I could stop any of your kind if I wanted to. So, if need be, I expect your family to help protect this community from others of your kind. I know you can't guarantee the absolute safety of everyone, just like I can't. But whatever is within your power, I expect you to do."

"We will agree to all of that." I answered. "We understand the risk our presence creates. We also know that we have a responsibility because of that risk."

I pulled into the police station and parked. "Anything else?" I asked.

"Actually, there is." Charlie reached into his pocket to wrap his fingers around the bullet that was shot at me. He looked away unsure how to ask his next question. His thoughts then stunned me. After everything that had happened over the past twenty-four hours, I never expected what was to come next. It filled me with both fear and joy.

"Edward, there is no way I'm going to be able to sit in a car for eights hours to make the trip to and from Seattle to pick up my daughter today." Charlie paused and swallowed. "Can you go and pick her up for me?"


	29. Chapter 29

~ Washington - August 17, 2004 ~

We had just finished getting gas in Poulsbo while on our way to the Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, where in two hours I would be picking up Bella, my singer. Rose and Emmett where tagging along as an insurance policy against me attacking and draining the blood from her before I could drop her off at Charlie's house. I looked in the rear view mirror to find Emmett's face scrunched up while he sang some god awful Meatloaf song on the radio. Luckily he was in the vehicle behind me with Rose, who was also singing. I would have gone insane if I had to sit in the same vehicle as them, while they both butchered a song about finding paradise inside a car at night. As it was, I was going crazy over the thought of being in an enclosed car for three and a half hours with a human whose smell was the most intoxicating thing I could've ever imagined. The last time I had been near her was over four years ago. At that time, I prided myself in being able to handle her scent and my subsequent bloodlust, but I never really got close to her. Now I was about to spend twelve thousand six hundred-seconds with her, at an arm's length away, inside what could very well be a moving coffin.

 _God, please help me find the strength to resist her!_

To say I was flabbergasted when Charlie asked me to pick her up would be a huge understatement. Yesterday at this time, Charlie thought I was a normal, human teenager. He now knew the truth about my family's existence, and more importantly the truth about my rebellious past, yet he still asked me to pickup his only daughter.

 _Why didn't I tell him about Bella being my singer?_

I let out a brittle snort.

 _Because if he knew, I wouldn't be allowed in the same state as her!_

My chest tightened at the thought of not seeing Bella on her trip…or ever. I was experiencing the same compulsion I had felt back in Phoenix. The same compulsion, that years ago, kept me coming back to check on her, at least until it became clear that my presence around her could attract others of my kind. However, I rationalized that this was different. She would be coming to me, or at least coming to Charlie, and I was lucky enough to be here.

I thought back to when Charlie asked me to pick up Bella. His thoughts and his words were so trusting and sure.

 _Charlie paused and swallowed. "Can you go and pick her up for me?"_

 _"What? I mean after everything you know about me, you still want me to be around your daughter?" I asked incredulously._

 _Charlie sighed and then winced form the pain in his chest. "After you left last night I asked myself a lot of questions. I won't bore you with what they were, but in the end, it came down to this…does knowing what you are change things, yes. But does it make me distrust you, no." Charlie paused a moment then continued. "Edward, you not only risked exposure saving Mark and I, you compromised it. And, you did so without any regard to the personal consequences. Listen, I know you're not a saint, but you have integrity and honesty. You may hide part of yourself. Hell, we all do! But you wear the kind of man you are on your sleeve. Let me ask you this, would you do everything in your power to keep my daughter safe? To keep her from harm? Would you give her the same preference you gave to Mark and I?"_

 _I looked the Charlie dead in the eye and answered, "I would."_

 _"Then it doesn't matter to me what happened last night," he replied. "I am choosing to look beyond your history and biology, Edward, to see the man you are now. I trust that man. Don't make me regret it."_

When I promised Charlie this morning to do everything possible to keep his daughter from harm, I meant it. However, here I was openly placing her in harm's ways simply by being near me.

My phone buzzed with a text message from Carlisle.

"Don't ignore the blood lust, confront it, deal with it, and compartmentalize it. Have faith in yourself! Good luck!"

I smiled as I re-read the message. The timeliness of Carlisle's message had Alice written all over it.

As a doctor, Carlisle could not shy away from human blood. His skills as a surgeon were amazing, despite being sometimes elbow deep in it. He told me he learned to compartmentalize the allure of human blood from his time spent with the Volturi. He needed a way to confront the assault on his senses when the Volturi would have one of their many blood orgies. He came up with a simple mental metaphor to help him cope with human blood. I experienced his control firsthand when I once sat outside a hospital and listened to his thoughts as he operated on a young boy.

First, he would recognize the patient as not just a human, but as a person. Before operating on the boy, he spent time getting to know him. He wanted to make sure he would never forget that the patient had a favorite superhero, that he liked baseball, and that he wanted to be an astronaut when he grew up. When it came time to operate, he made sure to keep what he knew about the boy in mind.

Next, he never tried to ignore the call of the boy's blood. He embraced it. He would visualize his bloodlust as a beast. A beast that he kept locked away in an impenetrable cage. He allowed the beast to savor the aroma of the boy's blood. During the operation, Carlisle knew as long as he did not let the beast from his cage, the bloodlust would never win out. Since he created this mental defense, he never let that beast taste a drop of human blood. Even during the four times he changed one of us, Carlisle never visualized the beast drinking the blood. It was this separation that allowed him to not kill us.

Could I use a similar method to get through the car ride home? Could I allow part of me to drink her in scent and savor it? Could I trust myself to lock down that part?

The end of Carlisle's text message came to mind. "Have faith in yourself." It was obvious that Alice has been watching over me. No alarms had been sounded. I had received no panicked calls to turn around and go home. I had to trust in Alice, which would mean I would have to trust myself. Trust that I could lockup the beast and not let him out under any circumstance. Essentially, find the strength to trust myself the way Charlie, Carlisle, and an unsuspecting Bella already did.

* * *

After we parked the cars, with Emmett and Rose being a row over from me, we entered the crowded airport. Charlie had let Bella know that I was to pick her up. He even took a picture of me with the station's new digital camera and emailed it to her this morning. Of course that was after I had assured him several times I would indeed show up in the photograph. Sometimes Hollywood and their vampire myths were just plain ridiculous.

We stationed ourselves outside the arrivals security gate. We had fifteen minutes before her plane landed. I positioned myself so that I was downwind of the airport's ventilation system. From my location I would be able to pick up Bella's scent early. The last thing I wanted was to be hit by her intoxicating aroma while she was within an easy striking distance. Hopefully I would be able to catch her scent and lock away my 'beast' before she was still a good fifty feet away. Emmett was standing about twenty feet in front of me facing away from the arrivals gate. He would watch me carefully and secure me should I charge at her. Rose was positioned at the side of the gate. She would grab Bella and whisk her away if Emmett and I got into it.

I watched the arrivals board with great care. Bella's flight arrived at the gate three minutes early. I started to make allowances in my mind for the gate the plane arrived at. As the seconds ticked by I breathed deeply hoping, but also dreading, catching her scent. Eighteen minutes and twenty-eight seconds after her plane was marked as arrived, I picked up her scent. Even though I had a perfect memory of it from back in Phoenix, I was surprised at how it had changed over the years. Somehow it was impossibly sweeter and even more luscious than before. Emmett's eyes and thoughts followed every minute change in me. As the scent grew stronger I closed my eyes and inhaled. I allowed the beast to savor her scent, but I visualized my bloodlust locked inside a titanium-reinforced cell. I kept my eyes closed as I searched for her thoughts amongst the constant stream of people leaving the gate. I wasn't able to find her thoughts, which wasn't too surprising given that I was searching through hundreds of minds. As her scent gradually grew stronger and more enticing, the beast pounded against the cage. He begged me to open my eyes and the cage. He pleaded with me to follow my instincts.

I frantically searched through the thoughts of the people around me. Bella's scent was as strong as ever. She had to be getting closer at least I hoped so. If she was still far way and her scent was this intoxicating I would never be able to hold back. I balled my fists and will myself to stay still. Eventually her scent stabilized. She must have stopped, but still nothing on her thoughts. The beast howled and clawed at the cage. I could see it flex, but it held.

I took another deep breath before Emmett's thoughts broke through my concentration.

" _Open you eyes, numb nuts!_ " Emmett mentally screamed at me. With my gift I could see through other's thoughts just as easily as I could my own eyes. To be honest, I forgot mine were even closed.

My eyes shot open to find a petite brunette, with the most amazing brilliant smile standing right in front of me.

"Whew! I thought you were sleeping or something," Bella said with an electrifying grin. Now that my eyes were open, I couldn't stop from staring into the most beautiful set of brown eyes I had ever seen. They were so deep and variegated with chocolate and hazel hues.

"You're Edward Cullen right?" She asked.

" _Edward!_ " Rose's thoughts yelled at me. " _Snap out of it! You're standing too still. You look like some creepy wax statue!_ "

I forced myself to look through Rose's and Emmett's thoughts. I was standing dead still, with my unblinking eyes staring down at Bella.

 _Damn she's gorgeous_!

I felt a hard body knock into me, forcing me to stumble a step backwards. Knowing that no human would have been able to move me, I reluctantly tore my eyes away from Bella to catch the back of Emmett's head.

"Sorry," he gruffly replied. Mentally he was yelling at me. " _What the fuck, Edward! You better get you head out of ass and start talking or I'm dragging you out of here. You're making a fucking scene!_ "

I blinked a couple of times before shaking my head at Emmett's retreating form. I tuned back towards Bella. She was looking at me like I was crazy. "Bella?" I asked quietly.

She nodded. "That's me. Are you okay?" she asked with a concerned look on her face.

"I'm sorry, I was just…you know what never mind. Let's start over." I replied. I took a deep breath, allowing her scent to pour into me. I exhaled slowly while I harnessed my thoughts and wits. By the time I was done, I was surprisingly carefree and smiling. "Hello! You must be Bella, Charlie's daughter. I'm Edward Cullen." I said cheerfully while extending my hand to her.

" _Jesus, Edward. You're going to give the girl whiplash._ " Rose thought to me.

Bella shook her head, but then smiled at me. "Hello, Edward. It's nice to meet you." She replied. She took my hand and we shook. Her hand was so small and warm compared to mine. I loved the way the heat radiated up my arm. I felt her hand squeeze mine as she looked down at where we joined. I felt her thumb rub over the back of my hand before she released her grip. She then looked up at me with a soft smile.

It was at that moment I realized that I could not hear anything from her mind. Nothing. She was completely silent. I had gotten used to Charlie's soft thoughts, but Bella's were completely hidden from me. Part of me wanted to panic over her quiet mind, but I was even more intrigued by this unexpected turn of events.

"May I?" I asked as I reached for the small suitcase Bella had been towing behind her.

"If you want, sure. Thank you." She replied. I pulled her luggage next to me.

"Do you have any other luggage?" I asked.

"Nope," she answered while shaking her head. "I'm a pretty light traveler."

"Okay. Shall we?" I asked as I motioned towards the exit.

Bella nodded. In the back of my mind I heard the beast howl and rattle against his cage. The burn in my throat was there as well, but everything was in check. The thought of hurting the young women my singer had become was just too painful to consider. Granted we were in a relatively open air space, but with each step I felt better about my chances of actually getting though this. It was at this time that I noticed the other people around us, including Emmett and Rose. Both of them stood off to side with strange smiles on their faces.

" _You're doing good, Edward._ " Rose thought to me.

Bella and I passed them and I gave a slight nod. Rose and Emmett would stay behind us until we got to the car, then they would follow us home.

"So how was your flight?" I asked. I looked towards Bella. She had been watching me as we walked. She blushed at me catching her, and I had to force myself not to reach out and touch her now pink cheek.

"It was uneventful, which is what I always hope for in a flight," she answered lightly. "You know…no screaming kids, people with B.O., or handsy neighbors."

The idea of anyone getting 'handsy' with Bella caused a burst of anger through me. Emmett, who could easily hear our conversation, spotted the stiffening of my shoulders.

" _Easy, Edward,_ " he thought at me. " _No one actually touched her._ "

As we walked along, Bella bumped into me several times. The first time, a rude businessman had accidentally pushed her into me. However, the next two times it had seemed like she did it on purpose. Each time it happened the closeness of her scent saturated my senses, causing the beast to demand her blood, but his commands fell on deaf ears.

When we reached my SUV, I opened the passenger door for Bella. I held out my hand to steady her as she stepped into the vehicle. Once in her seat she looked up at me with a shy smile. "First you carry my bag, now you're opening doors for me and helping me into cars. You better watch it, Mr. Cullen, or you just may spoil me for any other guy." Bella finished her sentence with a couple flutters of her eyelashes.

" _Holy shit!_ " Emmett's thoughts teased. " _She's flirting with you!_ "

Part of me couldn't believe Emmett's statement, but the flush on Bella's cheeks and her demure smile told me otherwise. In the handful of minutes that had passed since I met Bella, a feeling had been growing inside me. A feeling I had never felt myself, but I had seen in the thoughts of my family and others. I was careful to not fully acknowledge it, because if it wasn't real, it would crush me. However, this feeling gave me the strength and desire to do something I had never done before. I just hoped I wouldn't suck at it.

"And would that be such a terrible thing, Miss Swan?" I replied with a cocky smirk. Bella blew out a breath that caught me unprepared, not from the searing bloodlust, but from other emotional stirrings.

" _Dude! You're flirting back!_ " Emmett thought. " _Oh fuck, you're…_ " I ignored the rest of Emmett's thoughts as I watched Bella's teeth lightly pull on her bottom lip.

"No, that doesn't sound terrible at all." She whispered.

"I'm very glad to hear that," I replied with sly wink before shutting her door.


	30. Chapter 30

~ Washington - August 17, 2004 ~

As I pulled out of the parking garage, I couldn't help but notice the way Bella shifted in her seat. She was now turned towards me. I could feel her eyes on me, but I forced myself not to turn and look at her. Inside the car her scent was very potent. The beast snarled and slammed against the cage. I knew these first few minutes would be key to the rest of the journey. If I could keep the beast caged through these first moments, I knew the rest of the trip would pass okay. Time and saturation helped lesson the siren's effects of her blood. Too bad the same couldn't be said for my other reactions to her. In fact, the opposite appeared to be true.

As we neared the airport exit, Bella broke our silence. "Can we take the Bainbridge Ferry instead of the Narrows Bridge?" She asked. "I know it takes longer, but I don't have much of an opportunity to travel by boat in Phoenix. Dad always takes me home by the Ferry."

I glanced over to Bella to see such an innocently pleading look on her face. I could only imagine that growing up, Bella could get pretty much anything she wanted with that look. It was then I realized it would take a stronger man than me to deny her anything.

"Sure. I think taking the ferry would be fun." I replied with a smile. By the time we reached the ferry, the sun would be low enough that I could easily dodge any errant rays that snuck throughout the clouds. Also, the fresh air would only help ease my concerns over her blood.

Bella bounced in her seat with excitement. She reached out and touched my hand that I had resting on the SUV's gearshift. "Thank you, Edward." Bella said as she slid her hand off mine, allowing her fingers to slide up my forearm a bit. Besides reveling in the wondrous heat of her touch, my body's other visceral reactions nearly caused me to tear the steering wheel from the vehicle. I managed to loosen my grip on the wheel just as I needed to turn northward towards the Bainbridge Ferry.

Behind me, Emmett and Rose had started singing the theme to the " _Love Boat_ " television show. However, their thoughts were much worse than their terrible singing. Having them follow me now appeared to have been a very bad idea. Luckily, Bella decided to talk, which gave me something more pleasurable to focus on.

"How's my Dad doing? He said his chest was sore, but I could tell he was downplaying what happened." Bella looked worried and sad.

I then realized that talking with Bella might be a bit more difficult than I expected. I had become accustomed to using my gift to read people and their true intentions. I had no idea what Charlie had said to Bella about last night or his injuries. I could just pass off Bella's question, but I did not want to tell her half-truths or outright lies. So, I decided to answer any of Bella's questions as honestly as I could without getting into details that would violate any vampire laws.

"Well, he actually has two fractured ribs." I answered. Bella gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. It was obvious the Chief had glossed over his injuries. "When he moves too much or breaths too deeply he can be in quite a bit of pain." I looked over to see Bella's shocked face as a tear gathered in the corner of her eye.

"What…what happened?" Bella asked with a shaky voice, before reaching to grab my arm. Her eyes widened when my arm did not yield to her gentle squeeze. "And please tell me the truth and not the story I'm sure my Dad told you to tell me."

I took a deep breath that caused my beast to roar. He was safe behind his bars so I let him be. I certainly would not be telling her the actual story, but surprisingly, a part of me wanted to. However, I could see no harm in telling what the local press had published as the truth. She would surely read it or hear about it in Forks anyway.

I spent a few minutes going over the cover story for the crime scene, including that the locals are calling her father a hero. Bella's soft sobs and tears made me want to stop the car and comfort her. Instead I did the only thing I could reasonably do on the highway, I reached out gently squeezed her hand. Without being able to read her thoughts on the proper force to use, I treated her like the finest of china. My fingers could feel fine details of her skin. Her pulse resonated through our touch. I knew from that moment on…through the end of my existence…I would always consider that rhythm my home.

Bella squeezed my hand back and since I had no good reason to keep it in mine, I reluctantly let her hand go.

"This was the case you helped him with?" She asked while wiping away her tears.

"It was," I answered. "So he told you about it?"

"Yeah, he always told me about his big cases." Bella paused before continuing. "He was very proud of you. Some people might feel petty jealously over someone else spotting something they couldn't, but not my Dad. In fact, I bet he hates the press coverage the case has generated. For him, it's about helping others because that is just the right thing to do." Bella swallowed hard. I looked so I could see the emotions playing across her face. "He is the most honest and genuine man I know. If that bastard would have seriously hurt him, or worse…I'd…" Bella blew out a frustrated breath. She didn't have to complete her sentence and I didn't have to read her thoughts to know the obvious…she loved her father greatly.

"Hey, let me tell you something. When your father was lying in the barn wondering if the bullet had gone through his vest, his only thoughts were of you and how much he would miss you. He loves you very much." I said softly before I realized I gave too much information away for someone who wasn't supposed to be at the crime scene and who wasn't a mind reader.

Tears streaked down Bella's cheeks as she cried softly. After a long moment she gathered herself. "Really? Wait…how do you know that?" She asked. Even distraught, Bella was quick to pick up on my error.

"Oh…I," I replied with a clumsy stammer that a vampire should never have. "He told me this morning when he asked me to pick you up." Bella looked at me for a while. I couldn't tell if she accepted my answer or if she was wondering why I would lie to her. Even to my overly hopeful ears, hearing that Charlie Swan would bare his soul to someone like me sounded off.

 _Not being able to read her mind is maddening!_

Bella finally nodded. "Thank you for telling me that," she answered. She glanced around the SUV interior looking for something. I took a guess that she was looking for some tissues. I reached over, popped open the glove box, and removed the small package of tissues that Alice insisted I should always carry in the car. I handed them to Bella who readily accepted them.

"Thank you." She murmured. After wiping her face and nose she turned to me with a slight smile. "Okay, enough of the heavy, Edward. I'll deal with my Dad and his reckless ways when I see him."

"Bella, just let me tell you one more thing, and then I will try to dazzle you with some form of happy conversation. Your father was far from reckless last night. He and Mark were overly cautious. I watched them prepare at the station. He took every precaution like he always does. Nothing in Mitchell's background would have indicated he was violent or suicidal. You father had no way of knowing what he and Mark were about to head in to."

"Thank you for that," Bella said. "However, that doesn't make my concern for him any less. The fact that this was supposed to be routine…well, it kind makes me even more upset. But enough of this talk. You're going to start to think I'm some emo chick or something."

"I would never think that," I answered sincerely.

"Good. Now I think is a perfect time to dazzle me with happy conversation." Bella quipped.

I kicked my mind into overdrive, desperately trying to think of something light and happy to say. From a couple of cars behind I could hear Rose and Emmett's laughter.

" _Oh this should be good!_ " Emmett barked.

* * *

I failed miserably at trying to cheer Bella up. Which actually worked better than I could've ever imagined. After my first attempt of commenting on the weather, and then my second attempt of asking her what her favorite animal was, Bella broke into a delightful giggle. I sucked at plucky small talk, but my ineptitude made her laugh. Somehow in failure, I did well.

Luckily I was saved from any further embarrassment by our arrival at the ferry dock. The tail end of rush hour traffic was still upon us, but we were lucky to get onto the next boat. After we were parked inside the ferry, Bella and I made our way topside. The night air was warm which brought a lot of people outside to enjoy the thirty-five minute trip to Bainbridge Island. Rose and Emmett were still close by, but they decided to enjoy the ride as a couple. They had already guessed what I knew as well…my beast would not be breaking free, at least not today.

As the large ferry started to move out into Puget Sound, Bella and I watched the sun's fading colors glow against the Seattle skyline.

"Thank you again, Edward. I love this." Bella said while nudging me in the shoulder. I allowed myself to deflect away from her so she would not hurt her shoulder against mine. Her smile was bright and brilliant. It made me smile in return.

"You are very welcome." I answered. I closed my eyes and felt the air flowing past my torso and face. I realized that for the first time since Charlie knew Bella was to visit that I was able to relax.

"God, he is so gorgeous." Bella whispered to herself. A human would not have heard her against the moving air and other ambient sounds, but with my enhanced hearing, Bella's hidden declaration was easy to make out.

If a vampire's face could blush, mine would have. And, if a vampire's heart could race with excitement, mine would have as well. My eyes shot open and I turned a bit too quickly to look at Bella, but I had to see the look on her face so I could forever match it with her words.

Her fawning eyes went wide and she squeaked when she realized I heard her. "Shit! You heard that?" She asked tentatively, but she refused to look away despite her embarrassment.

"Well, you are, you know." Bella spoke nervously. "Of course you know. How could you not? I mean look at you. When Dad sent me that email this morning with your picture, I thought he cut and pasted a male model's image into the email. But no. And then…damn! Here you are in person…and you're doing that eyes closed thing again. At the airport it was like you were listening to the rhythm of the airport and now it's the same, but with Puget Sound. And…I...I'm rambling so I'm just going to shut up now." Bella finally looked way after her adorable babbling had ended.

With courage I never had before, I gently touched Bella's far cheek and turned her head slowly back towards me. The feel of her skin was as soft as silk, but so heavenly warm. Her heartbeat picked up its pace, along with her breathing as her eyes finally met mine. The fragile and adoring look staring back at me branded my soul. If I had any doubts what she was to me before that moment, they dissolved in that instant.

My singer had become my mate.

I couldn't read her thoughts, but I hoped in time she would start to feel even a fraction of what I felt for her. In my mind the beast whined, while another distant part started to comprehend the complications and obstacles mating on a human would bring. However neither of those mattered. I wanted to take this slow and savor the lightness and wonder I felt.

Cupping Bella's cheek like the finest treasure it was, I finally found some words to speak. I leaned down close to Bella's ear, before pausing to enjoy her nearness.

"You don't have to hide from me," I said softy. "I am glad you find my looks pleasing. I think you are gorgeous as well, so we both have that in common."

As I pulled away, Bella turned he head slightly so that her check brushed against mine. Both of our breaths caught. If I turned my head slightly our lips would touch, but that would not be today. I did not want our first kiss to be in public and in front of a now gaping and stunned Rosalie and Emmett. So I continued to pull away. Bella's eyes following my receding mouth and I liked that she looked a bit sad I didn't kiss her. I finally lowered my hand from her cheek, only to then take her hand in mine. It felt as if it were the most natural thing in the world to do. Bella smiled as she looked at our hands together. Her tiny fingers gripped mine, telling me all was well.


	31. Chapter 31

~ Washington - August 17, 2004 ~

Once we were done with the ferry ride, Bella and I loaded ourselves back into my SUV and drove to forks. The highlight for me, besides our discussion of everything, yet really nothing terribly important was that we held hands some more. During my century of existence I never had so much physical contact with another being. It was glorious. I didn't want it to end, but after seeing the look on Charlie and Bella's faces when I dropped her off, I knew they needed their time together.

As soon as I reached the family home, my cell phone rang. It was Alice.

"How long have you known about Bella and I?" I answered without any gracious greeting. I had a ton of questions floating through my mind and I was anxious for answers.

"Well, hello to you too, Edward." Alice answered before giggling. "I know you want answers, but be warned, you might not like what you hear."

"Understood," I replied before taking a deep breath. "And, I'm sorry I was abrupt. I'm just excited and worried...and desperate for information."

"Apology accepted," Alice quipped. "So you wanted to know how long I have known. Well, and this is the part you may not like, I saw her and you together about nine months before you left the family. But that vision has changed so much since then."

"How do you mean?" I asked.

"The Edward in my first vision was brooding, prudish, overbearing, and self-loathing. You're so different now. You know, I originally saw you meeting her another six months from now in Forks. When you met her you ran away to the Denalis because her singer's blood surprised and frightened you. When you did come back you tried to force her away. When that didn't work, your uptight morality and overall fear of losing her caused you to stifle her. And don't even get me started with intimacy! You refused to…"

"Alice, enough!" I interrupted her. I didn't care to hear how unsuitable I was in her vision. I was no longer that person. "What do you see now?"

"How much do you want me to tell? I have seen many things. As you can guess, some of the visions change a lot, but some of the things I've seen have been constant."

"I…I don't know," I answer honestly. The old me would've wanted to know every detail and every mishap so I could try and mitigate them. I no longer felt the need to know everything. I now believed I would enjoy the journey more if I let things unfold naturally. However, there were some things I wanted to know at a very general level. "Alice, will she mate on me as well?" I asked timidly. It was a question I did and did not want to know the answer to.

"Edward, you know humans don't mate like vampires do. She…"

"Stop." I interrupted her again. The answer had the power to crush me. I would rather assume that in time she would feel for me what I already felt for her. Although, Alice made a good point. Whatever she does or would feel about me while she is a human would not be the same as if she were a vampire like me. Our emotions run deeper and mating is permanent and unchanging. Human emotional attachments often change and fade. "Never mind that. I think it's for the best that I just let that question go. In fact, I don't want to know anything else."

"I think that is wise decision, Edward." Alice replied. She sounded a bit relieved. "At least right now it is. From what I have seen a while ago and recently, you will have an easier time with things if you can't anticipate certain situations. I love you, but even now you tend to over think things, much to your detriment. If I see anything bad or disastrous, I will let you know, otherwise I will wait for you to come and ask questions."

"Thank you." I said sincerely. "I do have one question. How much does the family know?"

"You're welcome." Alice replied happily. "No one knows except for me. Oh, and Rose and Emmett. They figured it out today. However, I suspect some of the others have guessed over the years that Bella and you were destined for something other than a lion and lamb relationship."

"So as usual, I was the last to know." I said before Alice and I both laughed. "I guess the signs were in front of me, but I was oblivious. Yours and the family's meddling now makes sense. Speaking of which, will she recognize any of you guys? I have a feeling there was more involvement than what I already know about."

"She…you know what, I'm not going to tell you." Alice said smugly. "You'll just have to wait and see. I do have one thing to tell you, though. Jasper and I won't be flying out later this week. Only Carlisle and Esme and going to come. I know a bit too much about what may happen and the chances of me slipping around you are quite high. So Jasper and I are going on trip. Maybe we'll head down to Isle Esme or up to Denali, who knows maybe we'll do both. Actually I do know, but you don't need to worry about that."

"I hate that I'm keeping you away, Alice."

"Oh, please! Jasper and I are dying to get some extended alone time." Alice replied. "In fact, I don't see us joining you guys until after the holidays." Alice paused. If I had to guess, I would say she had another vision. "Yes!" She squealed, which was followed by giggle. "Whew, I'm back. Believe me, Edward, from what I just saw I'd be upset if you made us come out! I have to go pack so I'm going to hang up. But before I go I just want to say this. Bella's body will always sing to you one way or another, however if you fully accept her as your mate, which I can see that you have, then the call of her blood will no longer be an issue for you, as long as you're smart about it and hunt regularly. That's all I going to say, but I needed to give you that peace of mind."

To be honest, by the time I dropped Bella off at Charlie's house, her singer's blood was not a problem. The beast within me still wanted to drain her, but that yearning was easy to control once I fully understood what Bella meant to me as my mate.

"Thank you, Alice. Not just for telling me that, but for everything. I suspect you have been carefully plotting and planning the past seventeen years so that certain outcomes were realized." I paused for a moment to see if she would deny it, but she didn't "I'm actually glad for it. So, thank you."

"Oh, Edward!" Alice gushed. "I may have tweaked a few things, but you made your own reality happen. Just promise me you will enjoy it and don't get too frustrated and upset if things don't go perfectly. Okay?"

"I promise," I answered. "I'll let you get to your packing. Rose and Emmett have been waiting for me so they can ask questions and tease me. I'm sort of looking forward to it. Good bye, Alice."

"Good bye, Edward. Enjoy their teasing."


	32. Chapter 32

_**I just wanted to thank everyone for reading and reviewing! We have reached the approximate half-way point of the story (unless I decide to write some more chapters...which I may the creative juices have been flowing).**_

 _ **This past week I was away in Kansas City at The Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA) 2018 Annual General Assembly (AGM). It was a great conference and I enjoyed being in Kansas City. It was also the reason I did not post last Friday. I have been a Jane Austen fan for over 30 years, and I have been a member of JASNA for the past 5. I am also the Regional Coordinator of one of JASNA's largest regions as well. So yeah...I'm a big Jane Austen nerd. I know what you are thinking...He's a dude/father/husband that reads and writes Twilight fan fiction...and a Janeite! My only response is that a real man appreciates good romance literature...we will just assume canon Twilight can be considered "good romance literature" ;) Who knows maybe I will post some JAFF...after this story of course.**_

 _ **Once again thank you for reading and reviewing! I read every review and they mean a lot to me.**_

 _ **-Chris**_

* * *

~ Washington - August 20, 2004 ~

The past fifty-eight hours and twenty-two minutes have been hell. That is how long I've been away from Bella. After my call with Alice, Rose and Emmett did tease me…a lot. But I didn't mind. Since then, some of the realities of being with Bella have begun to sink in. The first was that I missed her terribly. I could now see why the others in my family could only be away from their mates for a day or so before they started to get antsy. What made it worse, and better, was that I couldn't read Bella's thoughts. Normally, it would be easy enough for me to go into town to pickup her mental ramblings, but I could not do that. Instead I would have to get close enough to actually hear her, but I knew if I got that close I would want to be with her. I was determined to not stalk my mate. She deserved this time with Charlie and he deserved it with her.

The other reality that started to sink in had to do with my conversation with Alice. The brief description of the vision she saw of Bella and I wasn't too flattering. I knew when I left the family I was all of the things Alice had claimed she saw.

 _Brooding…yes._

 _Prudish…yes._

 _Overbearing…yes._

 _Self-loathing…yes!_

 _Intimacy issues…unfortunately, yes._

But I was different now, so very different. It was easy for me to imagine how I would've treated her once I got past the allure of her blood. I would have stalked her. I would have tried to push her away. I would have tried to micro-manage every aspect of her life in a failed attempt to ensure not the slightest discomfort or harm would've befallen her. I had hated my existence and myself. It would have blinded me to so many things, including what the natural end-stage would be for Bella should she ever accept me. And intimacy…it does scare me. My strength is such that I could easy hurt her, but I would imagine with careful and methodical practice, I would be able to overcome this. Unfortunately, my greatest fear regarding intimacy with Bella was I would be terrible at it. I've seen untold acts, an untold number of times, but I have never done anything, besides holding Bella's hand. During my youth, holding a girl's hand would be a huge step. Stealing a kiss even more so, but I knew what young adults did today. During my human lifetime, what most couples would wait for marriage to do, modern men and women routinely did without so much as knowing each other's names. Bella was a beautiful, vivacious, and alluring female. Her experience level and mine would be much different. If there were one area I wanted to excel at, it would be as a lover. Given my strength, as well as the appeal of her blood, we would have to go slow. This would allow me to learn, however I just hoped Bella would be agreeable to such a relative slow pace. This line of thinking all assumed she would ever desire me in such a way.

The rest of my time away from Bella had been spent hunting or running around with Rose and Emmett. They both needed to purchase new cars for our time in Forks. They had been driving a rental car, which Rose despised and Emmett was pushing its mechanical limits. In the end, Rose settled for a new BMW M3 convertible and Emmett opted for a tricked out Jeep Wrangler. Both suited them perfectly. I came close to getting a new car myself, as the Mercedes SUV was growing old, but a timely text from Alice told me not to.

The only other excitement to keep my mind off Bella was the delivery of two pianos that I had ordered when I first moved to Forks. One of the pianos would go in the main house. The other would be for my private use at the cottage, now that the restoration was largely finished. The renovations I had just completed were to add a music room and library on the back of the small structure. Given Bella's fondness for reading, I could now see why Alice insisted that I include comfortable seating and lots of bookshelves, which were now littered with my music collection, as well as a slew of books and personal mementoes. It was my sanctuary. The back wall was lined with windows that overlooked a small garden area, and beyond that the Sul Duc River. With the windows open, the smell of the garden's flowers and the sounds of the river were very soothing. I hopped Bella would like this new space as much I did.

As 10:00am slowly crept up, I raced to my SUV and drove over the Charlie's house. He had to spend the day and evening shift down at the station so he asked that I spend some time with Bella. I would have a whole day of uninterrupted time with her, as Rose and Emmett decided it would be best to go out hunting. My plan was to bring Bella by the house and the cottage. After that we would see how the day went. Yesterday on my hunt I found an amazing meadow. I would have loved to take Bella there, but it would require the entire day to hike there and back at a human speed. Maybe one day when Bella knows what I am I would take here there using my vampire speed.

I pulled into the Charlie's driveway exactly at 10:00am. Before I could reach the front door, it swung open revealing a scowling Bella. She placed her hands on her hips and gave me look of disgust. Before I could figure out what I did wrong she spoke.

"You know I was quite upset to find out Dad had arranged for me to have a babysitter." He tone was quite terse as she glared at me. After a long moment, she smiled brightly and giggled. "Oh god, you should see you face, Edward Cullen. You look like a little boy who just had his favorite toy taken away!" Bella laughed and I started to wish again I could read he beautiful mind.

 _So am I trouble or what?_

Bella bounced down the steps before grabbing my arm. Her eyes widened as her finger tried in vain to squeeze my stony flesh. "Wow! You must really workout." She said in astonishment. "I mean, damn! Your bicep is like steel!"

Bella shook her head as she ran her hand up and down my arm a couple of times. The feel of her warm hand on my arm was surreal and wonderful, so much so I almost moaned in appreciation. I knew I would never tire of her touch…ever!

Bella slid her hand down until she grasped my cool hand, wrapping her fingers with mine. "Anyway, I'm not really mad, at least not anymore," she said as she guided me up to the house. "When my Dad told me he asked someone to come over and spend the day with me, I thought he meant this one boy, Jacob. He's the son of an old family friend, but he looks at me like he's memorizing me for his spank bank, if you know what I mean."

Bella shivered at the thought of Jacob pleasuring himself with her in mind. I on the other hand was ready to violate the treaty and kill him…painfully. Bella was mine! Or at least I hoped that she would be mine. It looked like I might need to have a 'come-to-Jesus' meeting with young Jacob to set him straight on few things…like keeping his ogling and lecherous thoughts directed towards anyone but my Bella.

"Sorry," Bella sighed. "That was a bit crass of me to say something like that, but he gives me the creeps. However, when Dad told me you were coming over, well let's just say I had the opposite reaction." Bella turned her head to hide the embarrassed blush spreading over her cheeks. Once inside she shut the door before leading me to the family room.

"I'm glad you approve of your father's choice." I replied not trying to hide the smile on my face. "Also, I would hate to think I elicited the same reaction out of you that Jacob does."

"The same reaction?" Bella replied before raising our joined hands for me to see. "You wouldn't find me doing this with Jacob, so no, definitely not the same reaction." Bella paused for a second. "How do you know Jacob?"

I motioned for Bella to sit down on the couch with me. "He stopped by the station with his dad one evening while I was helping out. I don't think Billy Black likes me too much, and you would be wise to stay away from Jacob and his perverse thoughts." I said until I realized my verbal blunder again. Bella noticed it too.

"And just how would you know about his perverted thoughts? Hmmm?" Bella asked playfully, but I could tell by the slight raise in her eyebrow she thought my statement was odd. Charlie had a habit of doing the same thing, so it must be a Swan family trait.

"Just by some of things he said. Let me just say he seemed a bit too eager to hear about your arrival." Bella groaned at my answer, which caused me to smirk. "I think even Charlie was a bit wary of him and his intentions."

"And just what are your intentions, Mr. Cullen?" Bella asked teasingly while she batted her eyelashes. I loved that she was being playful with me. I had so many strong emotions and desires coursing through me, it was almost painful. Some of them were fueled by her delectable blood, but most were because she was my mate. Her lively and easygoing manner was like a salve that soothed and calmed my extreme emotional and visceral reactions to her.

Plus, they made me want to tease her back, so I slowly leaned towards Bella, angling my lips to meet with hers. Bella's breath caught as her lips parted. Her eyes dilated slightly and her heartbeat started to race. I knew fear, and her reaction was quite the opposite. As I closed the distance, Bella started to lean towards me as well.

Just before our lips would have met, I turned and whispered in her ear. "My intentions, sweet Bella, are just something you will have to discover for yourself." I punctuated my statement by blowing a soft stream of cool breath across Bella's ear and down her slender neck. I could feel the heat pouring off Bella and I loved how it grew in intensity after my words and actions. "Breath, Bella," I said softly before I pulled away.

Bella nodded as she took a slow, ragged breath. "I think I'm in over my head," she said under her breath. I just gave her a crooked grin. If anyone one was in over their head, it was I…and I couldn't be any happier.

"So did you have anything specific you wanted to do today, Bella?" I asked while I gentled rubbed lazy patterns across the back of her hand.

Bella took a couple deep breaths. "No, what did you have in mind?" She asked.

"Well, I was thinking of taking you over to my house for a bit. And then afterwards, since you seemed to enjoy the water during our little ferry adventure, I thought we could drive down by shore."

Bella's smile grew as it lit up her whole face, as well as my existence. "I like the sound of that. Maybe we could have a picnic on the beach if it doesn't rain?"

I resisted the urge to frown in front of her. In my planning I forgot one of the most basic human necessities…food. Also, since I don't consume food this could get interesting. Just then my phone beeped telling me I had a text message.

"Why don't you deal with that, while I go find a basket and an old blanket." She released my hand and went off to find her picnic supplies. I just stared at my now empty hand as I felt Bella's residual heat bleed away from it. My phone beeped again, so I retrieved from my pocket and viewed my waiting message, which I knew would be from Alice.

" _Yay a picnic! I had Rose and Emmett pick up some groceries this morning that will be perfect for the outing. Go after 2:00pm. Enjoy!"_

At least the food problem was solved…for Bella. All I needed to do was figure out what to do about me not eating.


	33. Chapter 33

~ Forks, Washington - August 20, 2004 ~

"Dad said you lived outside of town, I just didn't realize he meant this far outside of town." Bella remarked, as we turned down the wooded road that led to our family home. The woods on either side were dense and heavy. "Should I be worried that you are taking me out into the woods all alone?" Bella asked in a teasing tone. I glanced over to see her smiling.

"What can I say, my family likes their privacy. Plus, it's much easier to hide the bodies way out here." I said in flat even tone before turning towards here sporting a devilish wild grin that showed my deadly teeth.

Bella gasped looked shocked at my predatory look. "You're just kidding right?" She asked in a shaky voice.

I changed my smile to one that was much less threatening. "Of course!" I replied lightly. "Besides, every predator knows that bodies should be disposed of away from the house," I said with wink. Regardless of my kidding, it was still good advice.

Bella sighed and smiled, before nudging my shoulder. "Oh you think you're funny. Well, mister, just remember paybacks are hell."

A few moments later we pulled up to the house. "Here we are," I said as I shut off the vehicle.

"Wow!" Bella said with a gasp of astonishment. "Edward, you…this… this is impressive. Who would've guessed this was back here?"

I smiled at Bella and shrugged, before I exited the car. In my excitement I walked around the front of the vehicle a little too fast. I could see Bella's eyes go wide she watched me. I had decided to not beat myself up over any small slip-ups. For this relationship to work, she would eventually need to know what I was. She was sharp and intelligent like Charlie, so I figured it would not be such a terrible thing if she started to notice small non-human things about me. In the back of my mind, I secretly hoped she would ask me about it so I could just tell her everything, but I knew it was too soon for that.

I opened Bella's door and held out my hand. "Welcome to casa de Cullen."

Bella took my hand and stood. She looked around at the outside of the house. "You've been out here all alone for the last month?" Bella asked.

"Yeah, but I like the quiet this place offers." I replied as I walked her around the back of the house and towards the path to the cottage. Bella looked up at me in confusion, so I explained. "I actually don't live in the main house. There is a cottage through the woods that is mine."

Bella nodded, but it is clear she didn't really understand. So as we walked, I gave her a modified version of the cover story about my family including the actual truth that everyone except for me was coupled up. I left out a lot of the details about the adoptions. It didn't really feel like lying if I left out that part, because the couples' part was absolutely true.

Once I finished, she stopped in the path and looked at me with an odd expression on her face. "So they're all…together? And you're the odd man out? Wow! That must suck for you." Bella gasped and placed her hand over her mouth. "I'm so sorry! That sounded harsh. I…I just meant to say…it must be hard to be around…you know what, I'm just going to stop talking." Bella turned away shaking her head in embarrassment.

I gently took Bella by the shoulders and spun her back towards me. "Bella," I said softy. "Look at me, please?" Bella slowly raised her eyes to mine. "It's okay. It does suck for me. That is great way to put it. But I've become used to it. I'm glad they all found each other." I paused and gave Bella a small smile to show her I was not offended. I slowly reached out and tucked some of her beautiful hair behind her ear, before I took both her hands in mine. It was time I started to test the waters to see how she really felt about me. "The good news is I recently found someone that I really enjoy being around as well." I said while giving her hands the slightest of squeezes.

Bella's breathing started to deepen and her pulse raced. She opened her mouth to speak but paused. Several emotions played across her face.

Surprise. Understanding. Indecision.

How I wished I could read her mind. I knew from her point of view she was just here in Forks on a visit. Maybe I was just a diversion until she got back to her life in Phoenix. I wouldn't like that, but I could accept that. Alice warned me not to get frustrated. I would just find a way to keep myself involved in her life until she got to know me more.

My thoughts were interrupted when Bella squeezed my hands in return. "She enjoys being around you too." She replied back in a near whisper. "More than what is probably good for her."

I couldn't hold back the smile that her words brought forth. I raised her left hand to my lips and placed a soft kiss on it. When I lowered it, I wove our fingers together, as I needed to feel her touch. "Come on, I want to show you the cottage." I said as we continued down the path.

"This is my place." I remarked as the cartage came into view. Bella's eyes widened and her smile grew as she took in the small house and its setting.

"This is so beautiful! It reminds me of something out of a storybook." She said, allowing her eyes to dart around.

"You father said the same thing when I showed it to him. He said it reminded him of the fairytales he used to read to you."

"It does. Can we go inside?" She asked excitedly.

"Absolutely." I opened the front door and escorted Bella inside.

It didn't take long to show her the tiny living room and kitchen. I pointed towards where the two bedrooms were, but I left out showing them to her. The gentleman in me didn't want Bella to think that I brought her here to be alone with me in my bedroom. Finally, I walked her back to the new music room, slash library. As we entered the room, Bella released my hand so she could wander around the space. I leaned against the doorway as she looked at the bookshelves. I watched as she reviewed my knickknacks and the books I had placed among them. I made a mental note of the titles she touched during her explorations.

 _Pride and Prejudice_

 _Emma_

 _Persuasion_

 _Jane Eyre_

 _Don Quixote_

 _Tess of the D'Urbervilles_

 _Wuthering Heights_

 _The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy_

Bella looked over her shoulder at me as she touched that last one.

"What?" I said in response to her unasked question. "Douglas Adams is a satirical genius." I shrugged my shoulders, while Bella shook her head in amusement before continuing her perusal.

Bella paused in front of a row of books that made me stand dead still. I hadn't placed any of my tomes related to the occult or the supernatural in the library yet, but I had one title that I placed specifically where Bella was now standing. I took a cautious step into the room so I could jointly see her face and the contents of the bookshelf. I nearly gasped as she raised a delicate finger and ran it down the spine of a first edition from 1899 of Bram Stoker's _Dracula_. I found the book in my Chicago childhood home. It was the only piece of modern fiction in my father's library. The irony that he had purchased it before I was even born was too much not to give it a place of honor in my collection. Now Bella was looking at that same book with one of its subjects standing not ten feet from her.

After a long minute, Bella eventually moved on until she came to my grand piano. She looked it over before turning towards me.

"This room is amazing, Edward. This cottage is amazing. And, I can't believe you did all of the renovations yourself. This is some serious craftsmanship…and it's so beautiful." Bella paused as she looked around the room. "This room is perfect. The books. The antiques. The garden outside." Bella turned and pointed to each item as she said it. "And this…" Bella pointed to the piano. "Do you play?"

Her reaction to my sanctuary was more than I could've hoped for. I loved this space before, but I now loved it even more because Bella approved of it.

I walked over to the piano and sat down on the bench. "I do." I replied as I ran my fingers up and down keys causing the instrument to come to life. "Any requests?"

"I don't know…just surprise me." She said. The shock of the room and my piano playing was still evident on her face.

"Okay. Why don't you have a seat by the garden window." I replied.

All week I had wanted to see Bella seated on the leather chaise by the back window, however my imagination was nothing compared to her actual beauty. She was silhouetted against the natural window light, surrounded by the warmth of the room on the inside, and the vibrant colors of the garden and forest on the outside. It was a vision I would never forget. I started playing Bach's _Piano Concerto No. 5, Largo_. It fit the serene and content feeling I had being here with Bella. As the music filled the air, Bella alternated between watching me and looking out over the garden.

About halfway through the piece, Bella got up and continued looking around the room. Along the sidewall, flanked by bookcases, I had placed a rustic stone fireplace. On the mantle, Bella found an old black and white photograph of my human family together. It was taken about a year before my parents died. My father and I were wearing matching charcoal suits with starched white shirts and bow ties. My mother was wearing her favorite white lace dress. I was curious how Bella would handle the picture. Most people would assume it was a modern photograph processed to look old. However, if the person knew what to look for, it would be easy to notice that it was a true antique. Bella picked up the picture frame and turned to look back at me. Her eyes danced between the photograph and I before giving another Swan family raised eyebrow. She placed the frame back on the mantle and continued her wandering.

As the song came to a close, Bella had made her way over to my music collection. I rose from the piano and stood behind her as she inspected my eclectic compilation.

She looked over her shoulder to find me staring down at her. She smiled sweetly at me before facing my music.

"What are you listening to?" She asked as she pressed the power button on my stereo. An acoustic guitar filled the air as the first measures of Van Morrison's _Into the Mystic_ played through the speakers. Bella's head and shoulders started to sway in time with the music. Soon she added her hips to the movements. I stood there transfixed on Bella as she turned slowly towards me. Van Morrison's lyrics playing across her lips.

 _We were born before the wind_

 _Also younger than the sun_

"Will you dance with me, Edward?" She asked. There was no way I would turn her down. I reached out, and with my hands on her hips, and her hands around my neck; we swayed to the music. Our eyes locked on to one another as she continued to mouth the words.

 _Let your soul and spirit fly into the mystic_

We moved together, synchronized to the rhythm of the song. To me it was so much more than just a dance. To feel the gentle curve of her hips under my hands as she moved was heavenly. However, the feel of her fingers playing with my hair, and the brush of body against mine, surpassed that ten-fold. She was branding herself to my soul, and I loved it.

 _And together we will float into the mystic_

As the song came to a close, I reached up behind my neck and took one of Bella's hands in mine. Pushing her away from me a bit and spun her around. She was elegant and poised as I twirled her in a circle. As she came back around, I captured her body and dipped her low. Bella let out tiny giggle as I righted her. The next song started and I pulled her close to me.

 _I can hear her heart beat for a thousand miles_

Van Morrison now sang _Crazy Love_ as Bella and I slow danced like it was the most natural thing in the world. Our one set of fingers wove together as my other hand rested on her back. We clung to each other while the music said what I thought.

 _Take away my trouble, take away my grief_

 _Take away my heartache, in the night like a thief_

 _She give me love, love, love, love, crazy love_

Bella's head rested on my chest. With her pressed against me I could feel each pulse of her heart as if it was my own. Every lonely moment I spent during my existence all melted away. I had found my happiness.

 _Yes it makes me righteous, yes it makes me feel whole_

 _Yes it makes me mellow down in to my soul_

As the song came to an end, Bella raised her head until she could see my eyes. Her heart rate sped along with her breathing. In one choreographed move, she placed her hands around the back of my neck, while I slowly brought mine along her shoulders. I lowered my head down until our lips nearly touched. I checked that everything with my beast was well in check before I closed the remaining distance and kissed her.

I was not prepared for the explosion of emotion and sensory feelings I experienced when my lips met hers. What started out tentative soon deepened as I slid my hands up her neck until I could cup her cheeks. A few seconds later we both pulled our lips away before bringing them together again. This time I could feel Bella open her mouth slightly as her tongue lightly touched my lips. She softly moaned, as she tasted my skin. I wanted so badly to do the same, so I slowly opened my mouth and tasted her lips. She was pure ambrosia. The combination of her taste and her scent shattered me…but not in any dangerous way. I knew there were some things I couldn't give Bella, but this kiss had given me the desire and courage to give her everything else…in time.

Bella pulled away to catch her breath. I rested my forehead on hers and we both sighed.

"Wow!" Bella gasped between breaths. "Just wow!"

"Indeed," I replied.

Bella turned her head to the stereo. Van Morrison was singing another of his songs. Sometimes I loved irony.

"Kind of appropriate, if I do say so myself." I said before singing the next part of the song to her.

 _Our hearts a thumpin' and you_

 _My brown eyed girl,_

 _You my brown eyed girl_


	34. Chapter 34

~ Washington - August 20, 2004 ~

After our impromptu dance and kiss, Bella and I just sat and listened to a couple of more songs. Each of us lost in our own worlds. As the music changed from Van Morrison to Sting's version of Little Wing, Bella got up to look at we were listening to. I inwardly cringed at what she was about to find.

Bella picked up the CD case and covered her mouth when she read the insert. She turned to me with a strange expression. The previous day I had made a mix CD with songs that reminded me of Bella, or more specifically, reminded me of what I felt when I was with her. She held out the case to show it to me. In my handwritten script was "Bella, il mio cuore"…"Bella, my heart".

"You made this?" She asked in a soft voice. I nodded in response. "These are songs you picked for me?"

"Yes," I replied. "They all made me think of you." I hoped Bella wouldn't think it was too much. I understood my feelings. Mating was absolute. However Bella was human and I could not bring myself to hope that she felt remotely like I did. I was prepared to woo her slowly.

Bella looked at the writing again and traced her fingers over it. "May I have this?" She asked, looking at me expectantly.

I got up and walked over to where she was standing. "Of course. It does have your name on it." I replied. I took the case from her and opened it. After I ejected the disc and placed it back in its home. I pulled out the insert and changed the inscription to read "Di Bella, il mio cuore"…"For Bella, my heart".

"Di Bella." I said before handing it back to her.

"il mio cuore? I took Italian last year at school. Doesn't that mean 'my heart'?" Bella asked quietly as she looked down at the case, retracing the new writing. I couldn't help but think how perfect it was that my lovely Bella knew Italian.

I lifted her chin so our eyes met. "It does." I replied. "I know it might seem strange given that we've only spent a few hours together, but I cannot deny the truth of those words." Bella did not respond. She just looked at me searching for something in my face. "Does that frighten you?" I waited motionless for Bella to respond.

"It does a bit," Bella replied. I couldn't help the sad smile that came over my face. Bella looked at me and saw my expression, which caused her to shake her head. "It only frightens me because I'm feeling something too." Bella let out a long breath out as she blushed. "I've never been this kind of girl. I'm not the one to fall fast. I…" Bella just let her words die off while she closed her eyes and turned away from me.

I closed the small distance between us placed my hands on her shoulders, before I placed the lightest of kisses on the back of her head. "Hey, I've been told that falling is this best part." I said to her. "And now I can honest say that I agree." I paused when Bella leaned back into me so that her back was flush with my chest. The heat and connection was wonderful. "I don't know if I can classify this as fast or slow. I don't want to push, but I don't want to pull back either. For me everything has just seemed right and natural."

"It has for me as well." Bella replied. "But I can't just ignore the hurdles we face either. I can't expect you to wait."

"You mean about the distance between here and Phoenix?" I asked.

Bella nodded.

"That is just an inconvenience," I stated simply.

Bella turned around with an incredulous look. "An inconvenience? It's a bit more than that. Fifteen hundred miles is not insignificant. Especially when I'm leaving next week. Plus, we are only teenagers. What you want now may not be what you want next week or next month."

"Or, what you want may change." I continued with her thought process. My resolve would never change. The realities of vampire mating did not make that possible.

"Perhaps, but I'm pretty stubborn, like my Dad. Once I get my mind set on something, it's not easily changed" Bella answered.

I could not believe that what she doubted was my constancy over hers. "How do you know I'm not stubborn as well?" I asked with smirk. "You seem to think I will change my mind about you rather quickly."

"I've just seen it before." She replied with a shrug of her shoulders. "Out of sight often means out of mind for most people. I hate to admit it, but my Mom is such a person. Most of the men she has dated, at least until Phil, have been that way. Even my limited experience with guys, has shown me how easily diverted people can become. Maybe I've read too many classics, and it's not like I'm looking for forever..."

"But, you want to believe that forever can exist." I answered for her. "You hope to find something timeless and enduring. You hope to find true love."

"Exactly. That may make me sound like the quintessential girl, but that about sums it up. My Mom always said that I have an old soul. Growing up I used to think that it was an insult, but after seeing some of the mistakes my friends, and even my Mom, have made, I don't feel that way. But that is why meeting you and feeling things like I do is so dangerous. You aren't a normal guy. That's not a bad thing, but something about you tells me it will be devastating when you finally realize I'm not what you want."

I knew there wasn't a way to explain the flaw in her logic concerning my feelings for her. She wasn't ready for the truth, just as much as I wasn't ready to tell her, although I wanted to.

"You are correct that I'm not a normal guy. My book collection alone should tell you that I am partial to the classics as well. I think once you get to know me more you will find out that my views on finding true love are pretty similar to yours."

I wanted to lighten the mood, so I paused before changing my voice to sound like a Shakespearean actor, complete with accented voice and enunciation. "In some ways it feels like I've been searching for my forever for a century or more. That is why I see distance and time as inconveniences, because when you are talking about forever, anything is possible."

Bella shook her head at me and laughed under her breath. I started to laugh too, even though I meant every word.

"Okay, maybe that was a bit over the top," I respond to our laughing. "My point is we don't have to define or figure out what we are at this time. All I ask is that you don't limit what we can become because of perceived hurdles. I have faith that things will work out as they ought to. Okay?"

"Okay." Bella answered with a smile. I was glad that things seemed to have lightened up a bit between us. She was correct that her time in Forks was short, and I wanted to spend it without worrying too much about the future. As I told her, I had faith that we would work out.

"Good. Now how about I show you the rest of the property, and then we can head out on that picnic."

* * *

"So what beach are you taking me to? I hope it's not La Push." Bella asked as we loaded the now fully stocked picnic basket into my SUV.

"La Push? Lord, no!" I exclaimed. Even If the treaty didn't forbid it, I wasn't taking Bella anywhere near Jacob Black. "We are going to head down towards Jefferson Cove. There is a little spot around there I like. It's quiet, private, and completely free of Jacob Blacks."

"I like the way you think!" Bella giggled as she buckled herself in.

Thirty minutes later I parked the SUV off the side of the road near the trailhead that would lead us to the beach.

"It's not far," I said as I grabbed our supplies. "It's only about a twenty minute hike, if that's okay". Of course I could get us there in under a minute, but sadly Bella's lack of knowledge about me would forbid that.

"Twenty minutes?" Bella whined in mock annoyance. She then stamped her foot. "There is no way I'm walking through those woods for twenty minutes. You'll just have to carry me." Bella stood rock still with her arms folded. If it wasn't for the slight upturn at the corners of her mouth, I might have been tempted to believe she had been serious. However, she did not know that I could easily carry her, our supplies, and the SUV we arrived in, down the beach.

"As you wish," I replied, before I darted over to Bella and scooped her up bridal style. I entered the trail with a smug smile on my face.

"Oh my god! I wasn't serious!" Bella giggled as she tried to squirm out of my arms. "Put me down!"

"Bella, I will not put you down. I am rather enjoying myself, so relax and delight in your taxi ride down to the beach."

Bella looked at me and then glanced to the basket and blankets I carried under her. "Okay, mister tough guy. We'll see if you're still so smug in another five or ten minutes."

I was tempted to hold her up over my head with one hand while I juggled the basket and blankets in the other, but Esme wouldn't like me showing off like that.

"Bella, Bella, Bella. Shall we make a little bet?" I asked teasingly.

"What kind of bet?" She asked warily.

"How about if I make it to the beach without dropping you, you have grant me one wish." I answered as a skipped over a fallen tree.

"I don't know. That sounds a bit too all encompassing." Bella hedged.

"I promise it wouldn't be anything that would irrevocably compromise you or place you in danger."

"Oh, I see. So compromising me would be okay as long as I'm not 'irrevocably' compromised?" Bell countered.

"Essentially. After all you are the one doubting my manliness here. I should be able to benefit appropriately once I prove otherwise." I added smugly.

"I see. And, would I get the same compensation should you drop my ass to the forest floor?" Bella sassed back.

"Absolutely, what is fair is fair. So do we have a wager Miss Swan?"

Bella thought over the terms before answering. "We do. Normally I would demand that we shake hands with so much at stake, but yours are currently occupied, and I don't want to be accused of cheating. So I guess a kiss will have to do." Bella quipped before leaning in and kissing me chastely on the lips. "There, the deal is now binding."

"So it is," I replied with a wink.

Over the remainder of our journey I decided to have a bit of fun with Bella. Instead of following the regular path, I deliberately sought out an alternate route that was more rugged and would require me to jump over several natural obstacles. Every log I jumped over made Bella squeal with delight. For me, I loved how Bella's tiny body rubbed and pressed into mine as we maneuvered through the dense trees and brush. I soon could predict every time her heart would race or her breathing would falter. However, mostly I just really enjoyed holding her in my arms. It wasn't until I came to a stream that Bella's joyful attitude came to a halt.

"You are not going to jump that, Edward!" Bella cried as she looked at the flowing water in front of us. By my estimate it was about eleven feet, three inches to the other side. A fast human, that was not carrying someone, might make it with a running jump. I fully intended to jump over it standing from the edge. This was to be another oddity I would allow Bella to catalog away about me.

"Sure I am. Are you ready?" I teased.

"No! You'll never make it!" Bella squealed.

"Oh ye of little faith," I replied before hopping the stream with ease. Bella screamed the entire time we were in the air and she didn't stop until we were firmly on the ground a good five feet further that we needed to clear the hazard. For me it was really just a small little hop.

"Holy shit!" Bella gasped as she looked back to where we just were. "Just how strong are you?" She asked, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Strong enough clear the stream and to win our little bet. Now let's get going." I replied.

I covered the remaining distance to the shore quicker than I had previously walked with Bella. She clutched at me and gasped every time she thought I would allow us to be hit by a tree or branch. I wasn't going anywhere near my vampire speed, but for Bella it must have seemed like I was running with her though the dense forest.

As we approached the last hundred yards, Bella could finally hear the ocean waves crashing into the shore. As we broke the tree line, we were presented with a deserted section of beach. I specifically picked this location because natural rock obstructions on either side would keep tourists and locals alike from wondering into this little sandy nook.

Once we reached the sand, I slowly lowered Bella down until she stood solidly on her own. I couldn't help my cocky grin and smug attitude. Granted it was never in doubt that we would make it unscathed, but Bella didn't know that.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. You win." Bella sighed. "So what's your wish going to be?" She asked dejectedly.

"I never said I was going to make my wish now. Just that you owe me one. Who knows when I will choose to collect, but when I do, you are duty bound to grant it, no questions asked."

"Fine!" Bella grumbled, but she wasn't really angry. Her smile when she looked up to the water told me she was just having some fun, although if she expected me to forget my prize she would be sorely mistaken.


	35. Chapter 35

**Over this past week, this story has received a large number of new readers/followers. If this story was recommended online, please message me the URL. Thank you all for reading and reviewing! And to the new readers/followers...welcome!**

 **One final thing, I was asked what my favorite Jane Austen novel was. Although _Pride and Prejudice_ is typically considered the Jane Austen novel of choice, my favorite is _Persuasion_.**

 **Now, lets see how Edward's and Bella's day at the beach progresses :)**

* * *

~ Washington - August 20, 2004 ~

We setup the blanket on the empty beach and sat down to enjoy our private ocean view. The clouds had come in just enough that the sun's rays could not penetrate. It wouldn't rain, and I doubted the sun would break through either. Which was good, as I would imagine seeing me light up like a disco ball would be hard for Bella to reconcile at this point in time.

Bella sat with her shoes off and her toes in the sand. The temperature was just warm enough for Bella to wear shorts, which she changed into back at the house. The sight of her creamy legs stretched out was creating an uncomfortable, yet very pleasurable, problem in my own pants. I could count on one hand how many times I became aroused before Tuesday. Since I picked Bella up at the airport, it seemed all I had to do was be in her presence or think about her, and that would set me off. Luckily, the length of my shirt tales covered most of my reaction and my arm covered the rest.

"This is nice. Phoenix has the sand, but not the water. I like the water." Bella said with a sigh. She looked around the beach and then towards the tree line. "So the only way to get to this section of the beach is through the woods?"

"Or the water," I answered. "Those rocks on either side would cut a human to shreds." I respond.

Bella raised her eyebrow at me and it was then I realized my verbal slip. "Human, huh," she replied like she was thinking it over. "After seeing your testosterone demonstration on the walk out here, I bet you would have no problem climbing over those rocks." Bella looked at me expectantly, hoping for an answer. I looked casually over to the ragged rocks and shrugged. Bella huffed out a breath before returning her gaze to the ocean.

"Would you like something to eat?" I asked. After the 'human' comment, I was curious to see how she handled me not eating or drinking.

Bella shook the sand out of her toes and sat cross-legged on the blanket. "Actually, I'm starving. So yeah!" She answered.

I pulled out a container from the basket and opened it. Inside was her first course of grapes and some assorted cheeses. After I placed it down, Bella snatched some of each while I pulled out a bottle of water for her. I leaned back and marveled at the sight of Bella eating. I watched intently as she placed each of the morsels into her mouth. Every so often, her tongue would peak out to clean the tip of her finger. It was at that moment that I almost used my wish, which would have been a request to allow me feed her, but I resisted.

After she finished about half of the starter course, she pushed it towards me. "Here, you finish up the rest." She said before taking a sip of water.

I sucked in a needless breath, partly to prepare for what I needed to say, but also because the image of Bella's pouty little lips wrapped around the opening of the water bottle nearly short-circuited my vampire brain.

"Actually," I replied while placing the lid back on the container. "I won't be eating or drinking anything today." I turned to pull Bella sandwich from the basket when she grabbed my arm.

"Wait a minute." She said in a huff. "You're not eating anything? I thought all teenage boys ate constantly."

"Well, we have already established that I'm not normal," I answered with a teasing smile that I hoped would diffuse the situation a bit. "To be honest, there is a special diet I need to adhere to. Unfortunately, what we packed in the basket today is not on that menu."

However, the person sitting on the blanket across from me is on that menu.

Bella crossed her arms and sat back away from me. "And since you didn't tell me with your well worded, yet very vague answer, I guess I am not to know what that diet consists of." She countered in an annoyed tone.

I sighed and shook my head. "Not at this time, no. I am not trying to annoy you, although I see that I am." I paused while Bella nodded her head in acknowledgment of my statement. "It's just that I'm not ready to get into that part of the my life right now. I promise, one day you will know all, but not today."

Bella looked tersely at me for a long moment. It was clear she hated deception and being lied to. I wanted to confess everything, but I wanted to be surer of her affections before I told her about my existence as a vampire.

Bella took a deep breath before reaching out for my hand. As we touched, I knew she could feel how cool I felt. Given that a vampire's core temperature is the same as the air around them, I guess I should be glad it wasn't winter. Her brow squeezed together as her fingers tried to make an impression on my stony skin. I almost pulled away, but Bella stopped her investigation and wove her fingers with mine.

"You know, Dad warned me that I might notice some peculiar quirks about you. He told me he was fully aware of your condition and that I should try my best to ignore any oddities that I see…and I've been trying to do that." Bella paused while she used her other hand to gently rub my check and neck. "Listen, I can understand that you might be hesitant to open up to me. We are both feeling something for one another, which can make us insecure about our own flaws. I just want you know I am willing to listen and I will try to understand. My Dad always says that I'm good with weird, and I suspect that might be a good thing when it comes to your story. Plus, I'm sure whatever it is, if my Dad knows and understands, then it can't be that bad."

To know that Bella was only upset with the deception, and not the vampire traits she had been obviously cataloging and thinking over, meant the world to me. However, knowing I am different…different enough to be considered weird…was nothing compared knowing the truth. Knowledge meant a death sentence should the Volturi find out. In this case, despite my weakening resolve to keep my true self from Bella, the prudent course would be to discuss this with my family and Charlie. He was aware of the consequences the knowledge of my vampire existence came with. I couldn't subject Bella to the very real threat of knowing without speaking to him first.

"Can you just tell me this?" Bella asked in a timid voice with worry etched on her face. "Is your condition life threatening?"

I squeezed her hand gently and shook my head. "Not for me, no." I answered.

Bella frowned. "Are you saying that for others, or even me, it could be?" She asked.

"Yes, it could be," I answered with a sad smile.

Bella rubbed small circles across the back of my hand. "My Dad would be upset if I knew, wouldn't he?" She asked.

"That is one of my concerns." I replied.

"Is another concern that I wouldn't want to be with you once I know?" Bella looked up at me waiting for my reply.

I took a deep breath and simply nodded my head.

Bella turned over my hand and placed her fingers over my nonexistent pulse point. She waited a while before looking at me with a strange expression.

"I have one more question, and then I will drop this…for now." She said while still feeling for my pulse. "Actually, you know what, I'm not. For right now, it doesn't matter."

Bella pulled on my hand and then stood. "Come on, let's take a walk on the beach."

"I like that idea," I replied. I had to let go of Bella's hand to take off my shoes and socks. I rolled up the legs on my khakis until it they were nearly at my knees. I then stood and took Bella's hand back into mine. She smiled and led us down towards the water.

As we got close to the incoming waves we slowed and meandered around. A strong wave came into shore causing the water to reach our feet. Suddenly Bella squealed and pulled us away form the water. "Holy shit!" She yelled. "That's so cold! It's August for God's sake shouldn't the ocean be warm!"

I laughed at Bella shooting daggers at the ocean. My mind drifted to Isle Esme, which is where Alice and Jasper were headed. The water was always warm around Carlisle and Esme's private island. So was the air. My body temperature would be almost normal there. In fact, Bella would be required to forgo her normal clothes and opt for some type of bathing suit, a bikini…or nothing at all. That thought alone made me extremely jealous of Alice and Jasper at that moment. One day I would take Bella down to Isle Esme and I knew I would relish every second of our time there. I could just imagine taking a midnight swim with her as the moon and stars reflected off the water. I would love to see Bella's luminous skin being lapped by the waves and bathed in the indigo light the night often afforded.

"What has you smiling so?" Bella asked. I turned towards her before looking away quickly. I was glad vampires could not blush. "Oh no! You've got to tell me now. You're not getting away with not telling what has you looking so sheepish."

I turned back towards Bella before pulling her down to sit on the sand. "I was just thinking of an island I know of that has the warmest water and most beautiful night sky." I told her.

"Oooh, I like the sound of that. But, you have to tell me more, because that is hardly something to be embarrassed about." She cooed.

"Well…I was imagining you and I there, and how the moonlight would…" I trailed off, not knowing how much I should say.

"How the moonlight would what, Edward?" She pressed.

"I was thinking about how the moonlight would look on your glorious skin as we took an evening swim." I said a bit too quickly.

Bella opened her mouth and made the shape of an "O" as she took in my meaning. This time Bella blushed. "Are you saying you were picturing us skinny dipping in the moonlight?" She teased.

"I was. Does that make me a cad?" I asked, worried that she would be offended by my fantasy.

"A cad?" Bella giggled and bumped my shoulder with hers. "I'm not sure if anyone our age has used that word in fifty years, but no it doesn't make you a cad." Bella giggled some more at my archaic word selection. "However, the thought does have some appeal." She said in suddenly husky voice. "I bet you would look quite good yourself." Bella allowed her eyes to roam down my neck to where my shirt was open, before she looked away.

We sat there for a while. I hoped she was thinking about the two of us at a tropical paradise like I was. For a fantasy like that to come true, I would need several things to happen. The one issue that came to my mind at that moment was Charlie. I was sure when he asked me to spend the day with Bella, he was not anticipating that she would be the love of my existence. Nor would he have expected us to have danced and kissed like we did earlier. The reality is he would probably be angry enough to further test my ability to deflect the bullets. I also realized that I did not know much about Bella and Charlie's relationship. I picked up bits and pieces from his thoughts, but I really wanted to know Bella's version.

"How's Charlie doing?" I asked.

Bella sighed. "He's being stubborn as usual," she said in huff. "I know he's hurting, but he refuses to allow me to help him. He knows I'm worried about him so he acts like nothing is bothering him. But then when he thinks I'm not looking I see him wince and favor his chest. I mean even today. He should be home resting, but no. He has to go into the station and cover not one, but two shifts." Bella picks up a rock from the sand and throws it out into the water to quell her frustration. "What he needs is someone around to keep him in check."

"It seems that you and Charlie get along well, despite you living in Phoenix with your mother." I said, hoping she would expand on my comment.

"We do. And I'm glad for it. I remember when I was a kid, I barely saw him. In fact he was like a stranger to me."

"What happened to change things?" I asked.

"Well, when I was in elementary school, in third grade, my school had a father-daughter dance. My mom promised to call Dad to see if he could come down for it. Even though I barely knew him, I was excited that he would be able to take me. My friends were going with their dads and stepdads, and I was just glad not to be left out. I even gloated a bit at school about him coming. As the dance got closer, I went dress shopping with my best friend's parents and I picked out this beautiful light blue gown with lots of lace and fake pearls sewn into it. And before you ask, if you knew my mother and her strange fashion sense, you would know why I went with my friend's parents and not her." Bell chuckled and shook her head. "Anyway, the day of the dance came, which was a Saturday, and I asked Mom when Dad was flying in. My mom blanched white before telling me she forgot to call him and ask if he could come. I cried. Actually that's not true, I was downright hysterical. My mom tried to apologize, but I wouldn't listen. I refused to speak to my mom and I locked myself in my room."

Bella paused. I could tell she was reliving that sad moment in her life. I hated that she had to endure any kind of misery. I wanted to go back in time and make it all go away for her.

"So what happened?" I asked, when she didn't continue.

"Oh, sorry. I was lost in thought. Anyway, I was in my room crying and sulking. I could hear my mom trying to reach my dad on the phone, but he was not at home. I was just about ready to take a pair of scissors to my beautiful blue dress, when the doorbell rang. It was my dad. My mom and I both cried when we saw him. Apparently, the week before the dance, he had received a packet in the mail from a local charitable foundation in Phoenix. In it was information about the dance, and a donated plane ticket. He was given strict instructions that he was to surprise me the morning of the dance. And boy did he!" Bella paused briefly before continuing. The smile on her face was electric.

"That night we went to the dance. He looked so amazing in this formal dress uniform. I spent the whole night with him, shunning most of my friends, but I didn't care. I remember he twirled me around the dance floor during the fast dances and during the slow ones he allowed me to stand on his shoes while he led me around. I felt like a princess. After that night, everything just seemed to click between the two of us…mainly, because I demanded from my mom that I get to spend more time with him. Next thing I knew I was visiting a couple times a year. He came to Phoenix too, to see my dance recitals and other school events. Last summer, I won a scholarship to attend a literature and poetry camp in California. He came down and we spent the week together touring northern California afterwards. That was a lot of fun. We also talk a couple times a week on the phone too. In fact, he told me all about you, including how he threatened to show up unannounced to keep an eye on you." Bella looked up at me with a teasing smile.

"I'm glad you have great relationship with your dad. He's a good man, and I know he thinks about you a lot." I told her. I was sure it was my family that intervened to bring the two of them together. I was glad that they did.

"And he did show up unannounced, but only once." I continued. "After that, I started helping out at the station. He could then keep an eye on me there."

"That sounds like him." Bella answered.

* * *

The rest of the afternoon passed in a similar fashion. Every so often we would wander around the beach, enjoying the soothing sounds of the waves. We talked over a lot of fun and insightful topics. Besides going to Isle Esme, I needed to take Bella on a tour of Europe someday. Eventually we settled back on the blanket, where Bella finally finished her picnic lunch. She was a little embarrassed to have to run off into the tree line to relieve herself, but human needs like that could not be helped.

We now sat together on the blanket. I had my legs stretched out and spread wide enough for Bella to sit in between them, as she leaned back against my chest. My arms were wrapped around her and she spent her time drawing random figures on my forearms with fingertips.

"I wish I could spend everyday like this one," Bella said right after tracing a heart on my arm.

"Me too, but I'm sure your Dad would like to spend some more time with you on this trip."

"Yeah. Hey, isn't your family arriving soon as well?" She asked.

"My brother and sister, Emmett and Rosalie, are already here. They arrived right before you did. They went out on a hike this morning, which is why we missed them today out at the house. Carlisle and Esme, my parents, arrive tomorrow actually. My other brother and sister, Jasper and Alice, have decided to enroll in an exchange program for the fall semester, so they won't be here until after New Years."

"So you're probably spending all day with them tomorrow right?" She asked

"I guess, although they will be busy getting unpacked and situated I would imagine. Why do you ask?"

"Billy Black, and I would assume Jacob too, will be coming over tomorrow watch the Mariners play. I really don't want to be there for that testosterone fest. So instead, I thought maybe we could do something?" She turned her head and looked over her shoulder at me.

"I would love to do something with you." I answered like a giddy schoolboy. "What time is the game?"

"I think four o'clock. Billy should be over around three thirty."

"Well, then how about I pickup you up at three?"

"Terrific! Now I'm looking forward to tomorrow." She answered happily.

"So am I," I said.

We both smiled at each other. Bella turned in my arms so that she was almost facing me. I thought she was preparing to tell me something, but instead her lips met mine. The kiss started out slow as our lips explored each other. I let Bella take the lead and soon she had shifted herself so that she was sitting on my thighs with her hands in my hair. Unlike our kiss earlier, this was more needy and passionate. My hands roamed up and down her back, shoulders, and neck. Without any warning, Bella pulled herself closer to me so that she was sitting squarely on my lap and my now present erection. Part of me wanted to be embarrassed by my arousal, but when Bella let out a little moan as she pushed herself down on it, I couldn't find it in myself to care any more. I had to force myself to concentrate on my hands and the strength I was using. Even though this did little to distract me from Bella's lips and the slight grinding motion she was making on my lap, it was enough to keep me from hurting her.

After a couple of minutes, Bella pulled away just enough to rest her forehead on mine. Her breathing was labored and her heart was racing. The thin barrier of her shorts made the scent of her arousal more potent. As much as the beast within still wanted her blood, another part of me wanted to explore her body and taste this other lust inducing bouquet. But that would not be today.

"I'm sorry I attacked you," Bella panted. "But I've been wanted to do that ever since this morning."

"You will hear no complaints from me," I answered smugly.

Bella sighed and removed herself from my lap. She sat next to me with her head leaning on my shoulder. "That's good, because I may need to do that often." She quipped.

 _Oh, yes please!_

* * *

As the sun started to get low in the sky, it became time for us to leave, so we bundled up our picnic supplies.

"I liked it here, can we come back? Not tomorrow, but maybe some other time?" Bella asked.

"Sure, anytime you like," I answered, before scooping Bella back up into my arms and heading towards the tree line.

Bella giggled, but quickly settled in close to my body. Once inside the trees the temperature was a bit colder than it was on our way out, so I stayed to the path. I went a bit faster than a human would, but after everything else Bella has witnessed, I hoped this would not be too disconcerting. Ten minutes later, we emerged at the SUV.

On the ride back up to Forks, Bella gave Charlie a call to let him know we heading back. Instead of heading back to Bella's house, it was decided we would go to the station instead. Charlie over exerted himself during the day and his chest was sore, so he would have to forgo the evening shift, unless and emergency came up. Once we got there, Bella would drive them both back to their house. I was a bit disappointed in this new arrangement, because it meant I would not get to kiss Bella goodnight, but there would be time for kissing tomorrow…I hoped.


	36. Chapter 36

**_Thank you to everyone that is reading and very big thank you to those that review! I read everyone and do respond ;)_**

 ** _Given this, I would love to know if there are any canon scenes you would like me to write using these characters. They may not make the regular story line, but I am not apposed to adding some outtakes._**

 ** _Now, many of you have asked..."How will Charlie react when he finds out about Edward and Bella?" Well, lets find out..._**

* * *

~ Forks, Washington - August 21, 2004 ~

After I got home last night, I immediately went on a hunt. My beast wasn't a factor yesterday. He roared a few times, like when we kissed and danced, but he was soundly ignored. The thought of feeding from Bella was so abhorrent to me now. I doubted I would ever feel compelled by her blood that way again, but I wouldn't chance it.

Emmett and Rose were at the house when I returned and I gave them an abridged summary of my day with Bella. Shortly after dawn, Carlisle and Esme arrived. Most of the house had been outfitted with new furniture, with the exception of Carlisle and Esme's private offices. A moving company would be by later in the day with the office contents, as well as the family's personal mementos.

I spent part of the morning catching up with Carlisle and Esme. I had been excited to show them the nearly completed cottage. Esme loved my music room – slash - library addition, as well as the other renovations I made to the main part of the house. However, they both loved my update on my day with Bella even more. Carlisle and Esme couldn't wait to meet her. It was quickly settled that after I picked her up, I would bring her by the house to meet them. Esme had been practicing cooking the past several weeks in preparation of meeting Bella. Her and Rose would go into town to pickup the necessary ingredients to make her a really nice dinner. Part of me hated sharing Bella with anyone, but my family was excited to meet her, so I relented.

Esme, Carlisle, and I had just returned to the main house, when we heard the sound of a vehicle approaching. They both looked to me as I read the thoughts of the driver. They were soft, but more importantly they were conflicted and upset. Apparently, Charlie was coming to have a sit down with me.

"Chief Swan is coming. He wants to have a few words with me concerning Bella." I said as I pinched the bridge of my nose

Rose and Emmett bounded through the woods and stood with us. Emmett was excited to formally meet Charlie. He secretly hoped Charlie had his gun. He was fixated on taking a bullet to see how it would feel. I glared over at him and shook my head.

"What?" Emmett barked out. "I want to know!"

"Is this the bullet thing again?" Rose asked. I nodded, which was followed by both Esme and Rose telling Emmett that he was to behave.

I minute later, Charlie pulled up in front of the house. He was surprise to see all of us together. His resolve was almost shaken by the sight of the five of us, but he was on a mission. Charlie winced as he reached over to grab a book, before he gingerly exited the car.

"Chief Swan, it so good to see you again!" Esme called out to him.

As they met, Carlisle and Charlie shook hands. "Dr. Cullen, Mrs. Cullen. It's good to see you both as well. When did you get into town?"

"Just this morning, and please call us Carlisle and Esme. I don't think we need to be so formal any more." Carlisle answered.

"If you'd like. So I guess Edward told you all about what happened on Monday?" Charlie asked.

"He did. As well as the conversation you two had on Tuesday morning." Carlisle replied. "Thank you for being so understanding. Not many people have the knowledge you do. I just want to you to know my family welcomes the opportunity address any issues or concerns that you may have."

"Well, that's why I'm here." Charlie looked over towards me. "I would like to speak to Edward, if possible."

"That should not be a problem." Esme answered. "Why don't we all go inside and you two can talk. But first let me introduce the other members of our family you haven't met yet. Chief Swan, this is Emmett and Rosalie."

Charlie nodded to the both of them, while Rose and Emmett offered their own greetings.

Once inside, Carlisle pointed down the hall to open door. "Edward, why don't you two use my office," he offered.

"But, dear, your furniture hasn't arrived yet." Esme corrected.

"No problem," Emmett barked. "I've got it." He winked at Charlie before he picked up one of the couches in one arm, and a leather chair in another, and carried them down the hall and into the office.

"It's not becoming to show off, Emmett!" Esme called after him, but Emmett didn't care. He was having fun trying to shock Charlie.

Once Charlie and I were in the office, we settled into our seats. I already knew how the beginning of the conversation was going to go, but I let Charlie have his say.

"Edward, Bella told me last night that she wanted you to come by and pick her up today. She apparently doesn't want to watch the game with her old man and his friend."

"She did, but I believe her reasons didn't have anything to do with you." I answered.

"I know, but that is what worries me. I know Jacob has been a tad infatuated with her lately. I think Billy has filled Jacob's head with the idea that Bella might make a good girlfriend or wife or whatever. Billy and I have always been like brothers, I think he wants to formalize that through our kids. I have nothing against Jacob or Billy or their lifestyle, but I know Bella is not interested. She wants a bit more out of life than to be a Chief's wife. What also worries me is that she seems to be forming a bit of attachment to you. I never saw her go on about a boy like she did last night. She blushed, she stammered, she sighed. She also noticed a lot of non-human things about you as well. She's incredibly bright and quick. She rattled off a list of oddities that I was amazed she could discover is a day's time. I know it's because she is interested in you, and that bothers me. And just so you know, even if you weren't what you are, I would be worried."

Charlie was hoping I would confirm or deny any attachment on my end without him having to directly ask. I, on the other hand, wanted to direct the conversation to the book he brought with him. I picked up bits and pieces of what he read. Even though the book calls out my kind as monsters, its content could be used to ease Charlie into a discussion of telling Bella I'm a vampire.

"Charlie, I am not trying to avoid what you're saying, but let's talk about that book you're holding." I said pointing down at the book.

"Okay," he said hesitantly.

"I'll be right back." I said before I dart out the back door of Carlisle's office. A couple of seconds later I was back in the chair with my copy of the same book.

Charlie blinked a couple of times in astonishment. "Was that back in the cottage?" He asked.

"It was. I don't see the need to keep up human appearances here at home." I said plainly. If Emmett gets to show off, why couldn't I? "Did you get that from the Thunderbird & Whale Bookstore in Port Angeles?"

"Yeah, they sent it out to me on Wednesday." Charlie looked back and forth between our books. "It has been some interesting reading. I assume your family would be classified as the Cold Ones?"

"We are, except for our diet."

"I see. And the story about Ta..Ta Ha…"

"Taha Aki?" I offered, helping Charlie with the pronunciation.

"That's it. Taha Aki. Is that story true?" He asked.

"It is, but you know as well as I do, that story is not in this book." I countered. I could see from Charlie's thoughts that he had a heart-to-heart talk with Billy yesterday. From some of the highlights I could see that Billy did his damnedest to paint vampires, including my family, as the ultimate evil.

"Yesterday I took advantage of Bella being busy to pay Billy Black a visit. After what you told me and what I read in this book, I needed some confirmation from his side." Charlie paused to rub the back of his neck. "I told him I knew about your family and that I wanted to know more about the Quileutes. I'm sure you know the details, so I won't go into them. But let me ask you, the whole werewolf thing is true?"

It would be wrong to laugh, but Charlie approaching me to confirm the Quileute's supernatural details was tad humorous.

"It is. They're quite impressive, although werewolf is an inaccurate term. They're really shape shifters. The real werewolves are much different."

"Wait!" He interrupted. "There are real werewolves and the Quileute wolves?" He asked as images of classic and modern werewolf movies passed through his mind.

"There are, but let's save the real werewolves for another discussion, okay?" Charlie nodded. "So Taha Aki." I said to bring us back on topic. "His story is legend, but I have no reason to doubt the veracity of it. What I know is that he first changed into a wolf sometime around the year 1250. However the story Billy most likely told you was about the 'third wife', which was about two hundred years later. You see once a Quileute phases into wolf he becomes a near immortal, like vampires. Taha Aki lived a long time. Long enough to have three wives. During the lifetime of his third wife, a male vampire killed several Quileutes. Taha Aki phased into a wolf and destroyed the vampire." I paused as I saw Charlie's eyebrow rise, and in his thoughts he was keenly interested that I acknowledged that a wolf could destroy a vampire.

"Let's save the whole destroying a vampire talk for another time too." I offered, anticipating his next question. "I am happy to discuss it, but all you need to know is the Quileutes have the ability to destroy my kind when they are in wolf form. So, per the legend, the male vampire that had been destroyed was not alone. His mate, now distraught and devastated by her loss, took revenge on the Quileute tribe. She killed many of tribe including Taha Aki's own sons. Taha Aki attacked the female vampire, but she was very strong and her anger made her even more deadly. To save her husband from being destroyed by the vampire, the third wife mortally cut herself. The scent of her blood distracted the vampire enough to give Taha Aki an advantage. He was able to destroy the female vampire, but he lost his wife to her own self inflicted wound."

"That's pretty much what Billy told me, but he made your kind out to be a lot more evil." Charlie replied. In his thoughts I was able to see some of the dramatic insults and colorful names he used to describe my kind.

"I don't doubt that he did." I answered honestly. "The Quileutes hatred for vampires runs in their blood. It is very hard for Billy to see any kind of compassion or understanding when it comes to my kind. To be honest, given the amount of destruction the two vampires caused, in my book they got what they deserved. I know I told you this before, but it is worth repeating, except for my family and our cousins, another family in Alaska, all others of our kind do not respect human life."

Charlie nodded as he thought over what I said. The problem for Charlie, and he knew this, was that his only personal experience with vampires, was with my family. He was now starting to understand the true dangers my kind could pose if they had red eyes instead of amber. Charlie's thoughts then turned to a topic I wanted to cover, but was dreading.

"So the vampires in the Taha Aki story, you said they were mates of one another. What does that mean?" He asked. Billy did not use the term 'mate' in his retelling, as he refused to give my kind those types of emotions.

"Charlie, most vampires exists alone or within a small group, called a coven in our world. The coven members often tolerate each other out of convenience or to show strength. We have emotions, but romantic love seems to be reserved for the one we mate with. A vampire will only mate once in his or her existence. A mate is everything to a vampire. It goes beyond what humans call love, or even a soul mate. A mate is their other half. They will do anything to comfort, protect, and ensure the happiness of their mate. Being apart from one another, even if it is just hours, causes them them to feel distress, and it only gets more acute as the time away from one another increases. Carlisle believes it's our kind's way of tolerating an immortal existence. Being alone for decades, centuries, even a millennium can be difficult. In the Taha Aki story, it is not surprising the female vampire tried to avenge her mate's destruction. She would have done so knowing it likely meant her own demise. Losing one's mate is usually terminal for both partners."

Charlie thought over what I said. He knew all about loneliness. At one time he loved Bella's mom, Renee, and many assumed, even his daughter, that he never got over her leaving. I could see from his own thoughts that he did get over her leaving, he just never wanted to put his heart at risk again until he found the woman he thought he could spend the rest of his life with. He loved the extended family he created here in Forks, but to him Bella was his true and only family at this time.

"So Carlisle and Esme, they're mates?" He asked.

"They are. As are Rosalie and Emmett, and Jasper and Alice." I replied.

An idea pricked at the corner of Charlie's mind. I was just able to get the gist of it to know where he was going to lead the conversation next.

"Mating is reciprocal?" He asked.

"Meaning that the person one mates with, mates with them as well?" I asked. Charlie nodded. "Then, yes. It's part of the mating bond. A vampire could only mate with the one that will mate with them. It is a symmetric bond."

Charlie wrestled with a thought in his mind. The question he desperately wanted to ask, was the one he was the most afraid to know the answer to.

"Charlie, I think we have come full circle, and I suspect that what you really want to know is also something you would rather not."

"That is a great way of putting it." He replied rubbing his neck again.

"All I can do is promise you will get nothing but the truth from me, but I think's it best if you ask if you truly want to know."

Charlie shrugged his shoulders. He struggled with his question on many levels. The father in him just wanted the whole situation to go away. His love for Bella wanted her to be happy and cared for, but he thought she was way too young to be committing to anyone at this time.

"Well, how about we shelve that topic for a bit, and cover something else, that you touched on." I offered.

"Okay, what did I touch on?" He replied. He was secretly relieved I changed the direction of the conversation.

"You said Bella told you she noticed a lot of quirks about me. You are correct. She is very smart and intelligent. She asked me yesterday point blank about her catalog of oddities she had been collecting about me. She told me that you said she might notice some abnormalities, but it was okay. That you knew the truth and that you were fine with it."

"I did, although at the time I thought she would assume your differences were medical related." He answered.

"She is well beyond just conjuring up rational excuses, her mind is telling her I am something 'weird', to use her term, and that I can trust her because you always told her she was good with 'weird'."

Charlie laughed under his breath and shook his head. "She would remember that one thing I told her. So how did you leave it with her?"

"I told her that knowledge could come with set of dangers that you may not feel comfortable exposing her too. She didn't take my avoidance too well, but eventually she agreed to drop it for the time being. So now I have a question for you, what are your thoughts about Bella knowing my family's secret?"

Charlie stood up and started to pace around the room. He did not forget the warnings I gave him. The thought of any harm coming to Bella was as detestable to him as it was to me. His initial reaction was to say 'hell no' to her knowing. However he knew Bella wouldn't like that answer. Plus he suspected it was inevitable that she was to find out anyway. Either from her own deduction, or heaven forbid, Bella being placed in a situation like how he found out. Either way, she would eventually come along the truth.

In a surprising turn of his thoughts, Charlie turned to me with an odd expression. "Your family can hear us correct?" he asked.

"They can. Unfortunately, our amplified senses mean that privacy can be hard to come by." I told him. Carlisle and Esme had been busy in her office. Emmett was playing a video game and Rose was underneath Charlie's car inspecting the engine and transmission…she apparently didn't like how it sounded when he drove up. However, despite their current tasks, my family was paying close attention to our conversation.

"Will you all come in here please," Charlie asked into the open room, knowing that if he had been dealing with humans, his request would never be heard. Apparently, Charlie was also good with weird. A second later they all walk in.

Upon seeing them, Charlie took a step backwards and rubbed his neck again. "Well, I guess I don't need to recap the conversation," he said. "I assume everything Edward has told me is true?"

"It is," Carlisle answered for the family.

"I know my daughter and she won't rest, or let me rest, until she knows the truth about your family." Charlie paused to look over at me. "Plus, I suspect that she and Edward will continue to become better acquainted."

Charlie could not bring himself to say mated, but that was his thinking. Denying what was to happen or forbidding it was a fool's game to him. He knew Bella was too headstrong to be reigned in, and he suspected my nature would not allow me to be separated from her. He had no doubt I would follow her back to Phoenix, or really anywhere if the vampire mating bond was indeed as strong as I claimed it to be. He did hold out a bit of hope that she would reject me once she knew what I was, but he thought the odds of that happening were slim. Ultimately, he could ether stand against Bella and I, and risk being left out of her future. Or, he could accept whatever the future may bring, and do what he could to make sure Bella was kept safe and treated well. His heart and head told him one thing, but unfortunately his gut instinct told him the opposite. Charlie was a man who had seen enough of the world to know his heart and head could be fooled, but his gut was rarely wrong. With his decision made, he forged ahead.

"If I allow Edward to tell Bella your secret, I would like two promises from your family. The first is that if she is uncomfortable, unsure, or even runs away screaming, you all will leave her and I alone. She has to be able to make up her own mind without any coercion or influence."

Charlie looked around at my family members, who in turn looked at me. In all my family's thoughts, the message was the same. This was my decision to make for all of us.

Could I stay away if she rejected me?

The simple answer was I would. If she truly wished me away, I would go and let her live her life, knowing when she left this earth, I would find way to follow her. I just prayed it would never come to that. After having even a couple of days with her, I knew an eternity more would not be enough.

"Charlie, we all agree to your first condition. More specifically, I agree to it, regardless of my own personal consequences." I answered. "What is you second condition?"

"The second promise is to do anything within your power to protect my Bella, should the wrong individuals find out she knows."

Everyone in my family immediately told me in their thoughts, what I knew would be their answer. "We easily agree to that condition as well. You have my word, and my family's word, that we will move heaven and earth to make sure no harm comes to Bella because of us."

Charlie sighed. In his thoughts he worried if he was making the right decision for Bella and himself. Trust was a hard thing for Charlie to give someone. Yet here he was giving it to a family of vampires that he really didn't know very well, but he rationalize that I earned that trust by saving him and Mark. Also, his intuition was telling him he could trust us. Charlie had a very defined sense of right and wrong. His gut was telling him this was right.

"Okay, Edward. You have my permission to tell Bella. You better make a good case for yourself, because I'm holding you to your promises."

"Thank you, Charlie." I answered sincerely. The rest was up to me.

"Don't thank me yet. My daughter may handle weird well, but you are about to go beyond any normal definition of weird." Charlie glanced down at his watch and grimaced. "I have to get going before Bella sends out a search party."

I walked him out to his car, where he noticed the hood was left open.

Rose darted over and closed it. "Chief Swan, whoever has been servicing your car is a damn idiot." She told him bluntly.

Charlie just starred at her for long moment, before I explained to him that Rose was the family's resident mechanical genius.

"Actually, we just fired our service shop for that very reason." He replied.

"Well, I tweaked a few things while you were talking with Edward." She told Charlie. "You drive it around, and see if you like the improvements. When I see you next, we'll talk. I can have your cruisers running better than new in no time." Charlie raised his eyebrow at Rose's comment. "Hey, it's what I love to do. You just drive around, I promise you'll notice the difference."

"Um, okay." Charlie answered before the family went back into the house, leaving the two of us alone.

"I'm going to tell Bella I spoke to you this morning. I'll let her know I gave you the go ahead for her to know about you." Charlie got in his car and started it up. The engine purred quietly. Even to Charlie's hearing it was a marked improvement. "Well I'll be damned," Charlie muttered under his breath.

From inside the house, we both heard Rose shout, "I told you so!"

"Edward, I'll see you at three. I know I told you this before, but I'll say it again. I'm trusting you, don't make me regret it."

"I'll do my best," I answered before he pulled away.


	37. Chapter 37

~ Washington - August 21, 2004 ~

I approached the Swan residence a few minutes before three. About a quarter mile down the road I could hear Bella chastising Charlie. I pulled over so I could hear the conversation without interrupting them.

"So I guess you just like the pain, huh? Or maybe you're shooting for a punctured lung?"

"Come on, Bells. I'm telling you I just forgot. The pain hasn't been too bad today and I just forgot. I promise I won't try and move the chair again. I'll wait until your boyfriend gets here and he can move it."

"Edward is not…he's…I don't know what he is, and you better not say anything like that when he gets here. He's…he's important to me. I mean, god! Its bad enough you went over there this morning and talked to him." Bella stomped around inside the house before continuing. "The last thing I'm going to say is I intend on asking him everything you said this morning. I better not get any surprises or so help me when you go to the station next, I'm going to gather up all you fishing gear it put down at the curb with a big sign telling everyone it's free to take!"

"You wouldn't!"

"Just try me, Chief. So if you have any last minute confessions, now would be the time."

I could see Bella in Charlie's mind. She was beautiful in her anger. Charlie shook his head. Bella glared at the chair Charlie tried to move, before sitting in it and crossing her arms. Charlie guessed she was going to remain there until I arrived so he would not attempt to move it again.

I waited a moment to ensure their quarrel was over before I continued on to their house. A minute later I was ringing the doorbell.

The door swung open to reveal Bella smiling brightly at me.

"Hi," She greeted me.

"Hi," I replied back.

"Listen I'm sorry about my Dad coming over this morning." Bella told me.

"Bella, it's okay. I didn't mind at all. I think we both needed to get some things resolved and we did."

"Okay, but promise me that later you'll tell me everything he said?" Bella did not wait for my answer before she reached for my hand and pulled me into the family room.

Charlie was sitting on the couch. His eyes drifted to Bella holding my hand and then up to me. We exchange friendly greetings to one another, before he motioned to his recliner.

"Edward, can do me favor and move the chair closer to the television?" he asked giving Bella an amused glared.

"Sure, no problem," I answered. I lifted the chair a good three feet off the ground and move it to the location Charlie requested. "There you go."

I looked over to Bella who just shook her head at the ease I moved the apparently heavy recliner.

"Thanks," Charlie replied before he got up and sat down in the chair I'd just moved. "Perfect. So what are you two going to doing this afternoon?"

Bella looked at me expectantly.

"Well, I know you wanted some answers from me Bella, and since Charlie and I talked and sorted out a few things, I thought we could just go for a drive and you can ask me any questions you may have. If after that you still want to spend the rest of the afternoon with me, I thought we could go back to my house so you could meet my family."

"Okay." Bella said in a drawn out voice. "Am I dressed nice enough to meet you parents? I want to make a good first impression." She asked.

"You look fine. More than fine actually." I answered. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah," Bella replied. She went over and kissed Charlie on the cheek. "You behave with Billy, Dad. By the way, I have my door shut upstairs and I hung those old Christmas bells on the back of it. If Jacob tries to go into my room, you'll hear them."

"Bella…" Charlie started to talk, but Bella cut him off.

"No, Dad. I don't trust him. I'm just letting you know so you can listen for them." Bella told her Dad before returning to me.

"No later than ten o'clock, Bells" Charlie called after her.

"Ten? No way…twelve." Bella countered.

"Absolutely not!" Charlie barked. "Eleven then, but not a minute later."

"Okay, see you later Dad." Bella blew her dad a kiss and opened the front door.

As we walked to the car, I heard Charlie call out to me in a soft voice that he knew I would hear. "Good luck, Edward. You're going to need it."

* * *

"So you're really going to tell me your big secret?" Bella asked excitedly.

"I am going to allow you to ask questions, and I will answer everyone of them." I told her as I pulled the car into the parking lot of a community park near Port Angeles, about a forty-five minute drive from Forks. "This way you can control how much information you receive, and if at any time you want me to stop or you want to go home, you just say the word and I will obey. Okay?"

Bella's excitement had changed to a look of worry. "Okay. Are you deliberately trying to scare me, Edward? Because you're making this sound kind of ominous."

"Come on," I said opening my door. "I'll let you decide."

Bella and I walked into the park and settled on a bench away from the few other people enjoying themselves.

"Okay." Bella started. "So I get to ask you questions. My first is…and no laughing, I'm being perfectly serious here...are you an alien?"

Actually her question was a good one. It demonstrated she had already accepted I was something non-human.

"No, I'm not an alien, but that wasn't a bad guess." I replied with no hint of amusement in my voice.

Bella gasped. "Oh, shit! I actually meant that to be funny, but you're serious." Bella paused and looked at me incredulously. "Wow! Okay. I don't really feel like playing twenty questions on this. Just tell me directly what you are, and then I'll ask questions afterwards, okay?"

"So you just want me to say it…out loud." I confirmed.

"Yes." Bella answered timidly.

This was the moment I had been dreading. Once I said the word, there was no way I could take it back. However, I thought it best to prepare Bella a little bit first.

"Before I just say it, humor me and tell me some of the oddities you have noticed about me."

"Okay." She answered before giving it some thought. "Your skin is hard, like…I don't know…like a stone I guess. And it's cold to the touch. Your eyes are a strange color. I've never seen anyone with eyes like yours." Bella paused for a moment. "Actually that's not true. I did once a long time ago. She was a substitute instructor at my old dance studio. I remembered thinking she had the most beautiful set of eyes I had ever seen. They were so unique. I even drew a very poor picture of her in art class complete with golden eyes. I still have that picture, in fact." Bella paused again as she tried to reconcile what I imagined was her vague memory of Rosalie from eight or nine years ago.

After a moment, she continued again. "You're fast. Just how fast I'm not quite sure…I suspect you've been holding back in that area. You're also very strong…way too strong for your size. Again, I suspect you're holding back in that area as well. You claim that you have a special diet, but I've never seen you eat or drink…or have to use the bathroom. You sometimes talk like you're either older or from another time period. You have mad skills on the piano and doing home improvement work...and kissing." The last part comes out almost like a whisper. Bella's cheeks are pink with embarrassment from her admission as she looks away from me.

I lift her chin so I can see her eyes again. "I'm glad you've enjoyed our kissing. It has been the highlight of my existence." I tell her honestly.

"And you say things like that. ' _Existence_ '. Most people would just say life. Its almost like you don't consider yourself alive." Bella paused to gather more thoughts, or at least I assumed that is what she was doing. "I also think you were more involved with the barn incident than either you or my Dad are telling me."

"Is that everything?" I asked.

"Actually no, there is one more thing." Bella replied. "I think you sparkle in the sunlight." I cocked my eyebrow at her admission, which Bella took that as a request for to elaborate. "When we were at the beach, there was small break in the clouds and for a second the sun hit the back of you leg while you were walking on the sand. I swear I saw your calf sparkle. But then an instant later the sun light disappeared and I haven't see it since."

I hadn't known about the sun incident, but everything else was pretty much what I expected.

"Wow, that's quite a list. So this is your last chance to back out if you want, Bella. There are inherent dangers for anyone who knows about my kind. I will tell you, but just as I told Charlie, you can never tell another soul about this. It could mean death for you, Charlie, and my family. I'm not trying to be melodramatic or to needlessly scare you, it's just the truth."

"Wait!" Bella exclaimed. "Your family is like you too? All of them?"

"They are. None of us are biologically related, but we live together as a family because of what we are." I wait another moment to let her process everything. "Are you sure you want me to continue?"

Bella looked up at me, exploring my face with her eyes. She was looking for something. Finally, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them she answered me in a surprisingly strong voice. "Yes, I'm sure."


	38. Chapter 38

~ Washington - August 21, 2004 ~

"Yes, I'm sure."

Bella's eyes never left mine as she waited. I took a needless breath and then I began.

"First, let me just say that everything you noticed about me is real, and is related to what I am. My kind has gone by many names, but the one most westerners are familiar with is…vampire."

Bella never looks away, but her brow pinches together. "Are you kidding me? If you are it's a pretty sick joke." She asked in a terse voice.

"I assure you, I am not. If you would allow me, perhaps a demonstration would help you believe." I offered.

"What, are you going to do? Drink my blood?" Bella's voice was dripping in sarcasm and disbelief.

"No, that would most likely kill you, and by extension me." I stood up and pointed to a line trees about twenty yards away. "Please, let me demonstrate."

Bella stood and started to walk towards the trees. She looked back over her shoulder to see if I was coming, but I just motioned for her to continue. As she approached the trees I scanned the thoughts of everyone in the park. Luckily, no one was near us, or paying attention to what we were doing. I leaped from my spot and landed near the top of one of the trees Bella was approaching. She was unaware that I had moved. When she reached the tree she turned around to find me missing. She glanced around the park for a moment before I let my presence known.

"Up here!" I called down to her.

She glanced up at me with a look of shock over her face.

"How did you do that?" She asked incredulously.

"Vampire," is all I said.

I dropped down thirty feet and landed effortlessly next to Bella. "Come on," I said as I walked into the dense trees. When we reached a little clearing I stopped and turned towards Bella.

"What would you like to see now? How about a feat of strength?" I asked rhetorically. I walked over to one of the trees, grabbed the splintering wood, and heaved it from the ground like I was plucking a weed from a garden. I tossed it aside and turned back to Bella. Her mouth was agape as she watched in astonishment.

"See, vampire," I said plainly. "I could keep going, but is there something specific you would need to see to verify that what I am saying is true?"

Bella looked surprised that I was asking her a question. She looked at me for a long moment before answering. "Where are your fangs?"

"Popular myth, but incorrect," I countered. "However I assure my teeth are sharper than any razor and stronger than diamonds." To prove it, I reached down to the forest floor and picked up a loose rock. With a quick bite I took a perfect crescent section from the stone. I spit out the piece and handed the now deformed rock to Bella. "See no fangs needed."

Bella looked at the rock in her hands as she took a shaky step backwards. I carefully guided her to have a seat on the tree I hand-ripped from the ground and discarded.

"So this is real?" She asked. "You being a vampire, is real?"

"Yes," I simply answered. It was time to allow her ask questions.

"Your special diet is blood?" She asked.

"It is. My family and I only feed from animals, however others of my kind feed from humans. In my family, we all have amber eyes. It comes from consuming animal blood. Vampires that feed from humans have red eyes."

"My dad knows this?"

"Yes, but he found out a slightly different way."

"You mean at the barn?"

"Yes. I was there. Would you like to know the story?" I asked. Bell nodded, so I spent the next twenty minutes going over everything that happened leading up to, at, and after the barn incident. I left out no significant detail.

"So you saved him." Bella stated more as a fact than as a question.

"I did. I couldn't let him and Mark die."

Bella thought to herself for a moment. "The bullet that my father carries with him is not from his vest is it?"

"No, that is the bullet that struck me on the back. He told me it reminds him of what he could have lost that night, which was not only his life, but you as well."

A couple tears fell onto Bella's cheeks. She wiped them away. "Thank you," she said, before looking at the rock she still held. "Did it hurt when you got shot?"

"No. I hardly felt it. I'm pretty durable." I said giving Bella a soft smile. She wiped away another tear and smiled a little at me as well.

"The movies and books have it all wrong about vampires don't they?" She asked.

"Yes and no. The danger and death are certainly real, but most of the other things are untrue myths. Which ironically, have been planted by my kind to throw humans off the track."

"Humans," Bella whispered. "You really aren't human." I shook my head. "You were once human, right?"

"I was. I was born in Chicago in 1901. In 1918 the Spanish influenza epidemic claimed the lives of my parents. I was infected too. I would have died along with them, but before her death, my mother pleaded with the doctor caring for us to help me. Somehow she knew he had the ability to save me. Carlisle Cullen, who I now consider my father, was that doctor, and a vampire. He changed me into what I am now."

"In 1901. So you don't age, you're…" Bella paused trying to think of the correct word.

"…immortal," I answered for her. "Carlisle is over three hundred and sixty years old. There are some of my kind that have existed for many millennium. We are frozen in time when we are changed. So I'm forever to look seventeen. What that also means is that we have to move around a lot. We can realistically stay in one location for about eight to ten years before the humans start to notice we haven't changed."

"Wow, to see what you have seen over the years…on the surface it seems incredible, but I bet being a perpetual teenager get olds." She stated.

"It is true that I have seen many things. Most of my kind live like nomads, wondering around. Some live in small covens, but it is rare for a large number of vampires to want to live together. It is even rarer to integrate ourselves into the human world. We do it for many reasons, not the least of which is to combat the boredom that comes with forever. Plus, our diet and our lifestyle help us feel less like monsters, and more like the humans we once were."

"Monsters, huh," Bella commented. "What little I know about fictional vampires is that they are damned in the eyes of God. Is that true?"

"Who knows?" I answered. "I used to think I was. It's easy to believe you are when you thirst for human blood. But recently I have come to believe differently. I hope that if I ever leave this earth I will be judged on all my actions. Hopefully my good deeds will outweigh the blood on my balance sheet."

"So you've killed humans before?" She asked tentatively, her eyes turning away from mine.

"I have. First I should tell you that I have a gift. One that Charlie does not know about. I am able to read the thoughts of those around me." I stated.

Bella gasped. "Oh my god! You…you can read my thoughts?" She asked shakily.

"No. Your mind is silent to me." I answered. Bella thanked god under her breath for her exception to my gift. "You're solely unique in that capacity. I have to admit it has been maddening at times. I get used to knowing what people are thinking. But it can be a terrible burden as well, as I can't shut it off. I hear the thoughts of those around me whether I want to or not. I should say that the volume of Charlie's thoughts are very soft compared to others, but I can read his if I am close enough."

I paused to let this sink in before I continued. "About twenty years after my change I rebelled against the animal lifestyle, or what my family calls our vegetarian lifestyle, that Carlisle follows. I wanted to act like the vampire I was. So using my gift, I sought out murders, rapists, and child molesters. I drank from them and killed them. I thought I could satisfy my thirst by ridding society of its dregs. This lasted for a number of years before the guilt of playing god weighed too heavily on me. I rejoined Carlisle and his mate, Esme, who is now my mother. So I do have blood on my hands, and I work every day to wash away some of its stain."

"And my father…" Bella trails off.

"He knows all of this." I stated.

Bella sat in silence. I couldn't bear to look at her. Having to tell her that I was a murderer was one of the most painful things I have ever had to do. The shame I felt was crippling. I had come to terms with the lives I took, but I couldn't expect Bella to absolve me of all that death.

Eventually, Bella broke our silence. "Can we walk a bit?" She asked as she stood.

"Sure," I responded. I spotted a path not too far from us and headed down it. I did notice that she clutched the rock I bit tightly in her hands.

"Do all vampires have gifts?"

"No, they don't. Most gifts are unique to the individual and most likely come from some latent trait the vampire had as a human. I can read minds. My sister Alice can see the future as it pertains to the decisions individuals make. If a person changes their mind on something, her visions change. Her mate, my brother Jasper, can read and influence emotions. As best we can tell, no one else in my family has any other gifts, however vampire mental capacity, senses and reflexes are super enhanced so even without a gift, vampires experience a lot more of the world."

Bella nodded and we continued down the path. A few minutes later she spoke again.

"So holy water, sunlight, crucifixes, wooden stakes, coffins…are any of those myths real?" She asked.

"No. I mean if a bullet bounces off me, a wooden stake isn't going to do anything. Sunlight will not harm us, but it is a nuisance. As you saw, we sparkle in direct sunlight. It is one of the reasons we like the Forks area. Sunny days are rare. Spending your existence only coming out at night is tedious and demoralizing. Especially since vampires don't sleep."

"What? Really?" Bella asked.

"Nope. I haven't had a good night's sleep in eighty-six years." I quipped.

As we walked we approached a fallen tree blocking the path. Instead of lifting Bella over the tree, I just tossed it aside like a twig. Bella shook her head but kept walking. She was deep in thought so we continued on.

"Do you want to drink from me?" she asked breaking our silence.

"At one time, I did. In fact your blood appealed to me more than any human ever has." I answered.

"But not anymore?" She asked in a surprised tone.

"No. I mean, I do find you tempting, but my desire for your blood is now secondary to your other allurements."

"Oh," Bella whispered as she blushed at the implications of my words.

I was not going to rush her in any capacity, but I did want her know I desired her beyond just her blood. I did hope that she wouldn't ask any questions that would force me to explain that I almost killed her as a child. I would tell her if she asked. I would not lie or deceive her, just as I fully intended on telling her about our close call in Phoenix, just hopefully not today. I didn't think she could handle that part of our story at this time.

We walked in silence for another ten minutes. During that time I noticed Bella had opened her mouth to speak several times, but then decided to against it. Finally she stopped walking and faced me.

"Earlier you mentioned that you father has a mate, and that your sister is mated." She said while turning the rock in her hands. "What does that mean exactly?"

Even though telling her about my rebellious period is what I dreaded the most, this topic was the second highest on my worry list. For a modern woman Bella's age, eternal commitment had to be a frightening and bothersome topic. I knew that to a human it had to seem that mating took away one's choices in finding a partner. As a vampire, and especially one who had mated, it was easy to see it as a safeguard to ensure a vampire recognized the one soul they could endure forever with. To the mated, it was the ultimate culmination of love, passion, and commitment for another being.

I took a deep breath and then told Bella all about vampire mating, including that the couples in my family were all mated to each other. I did my best to covey the required details, along with the beauty and symmetry of the mating bond.

After I finished, Bella started walking again. Every so often she would lift her eyes to look at me, but otherwise she walked along in silence. Eventually Bella stopped and sat down on another fallen tree. She sat there for more than thirty minutes lost in her thoughts. I looked up at the cloudy sky. From the location of the sun I had to guess it was getting close to six o'clock. If we were going to walk back, we needed to start soon before the light started to fade and it became too difficult for Bella to see the path.

"Bella?" I finally said to her. She looked up at me with tears in her eyes. "If we are going to walk back, we should start soon." I told her.

"If? Is there another option?" She asked.

"Well, I could carry you and move at a more vampire appropriate speed. If I did that we would be back in a few minutes."

Bell thought about it for a moment. "I would like to stay here for a bit then." She said. I just nodded and let her go back to her thoughts.

After another twenty minutes she finally spoke again. "Mating is permanent, final?" She asked in a sad voice.

"Yes," I told her. "Once a vampire finds his mate, no one else will ever touch his or her heart. In my world mating is forever and eternal."

After another fifteen minutes of silence Bella asked if we could go. I walked over to her and picked her up like I did on our trip to and from the beach.

"You may want to close your eyes if the speed or motion makes you dizzy." I told her. "Also, if you want me to stop at any time, just let me know."

Bella placed her head on my chest and grabbed onto my shirt. "I'm ready," she told me.

I ran back through the path at a leisurely pace, for me at least. For Bella it had to appear much different. I didn't want to travel too fast this first time. Given Bella's somber reflection and tears, I was beginning to wonder if I would ever get to run with again after this night. During the trip back, Bella mostly kept her eyes open, except for the few times I needed to change direction. As we approached the spot I tore the tree from the ground, I slowed to stop and placed her on the ground.

"It would probably be best for you to walk from here." I said.

"Okay. I think I just would like to go home." She told me.

"If that is what you want, then no problem." I replied trying hard to mask the disappointment in my voice.

Once we were in the SUV, I drove straight to her house. Bella sat in silence pressed up against the passenger door. My only consolation was that she clutched the rock I bit through like it was a lifeline. We arrived back just after eight o'clock. I could tell by Charlie's thoughts that the Mariners lost the game by one run, and that Billy and Jacob had just left a few minutes before. With deep breath, I turned off the engine of the vehicle.

"You had said it is dangerous for me to know. Why is that?" She asked.

I explained about the Volturi and the primary vampire law of keeping our existence a secret. Bella blanched when I told her that it would mean death for her, Charlie, and my family, if the Volturi ever found out.

"Bella, you should know that my family and I will do everything we can to keep you and Charlie safe. You may speak to Charlie about all of this, in private of course, but no one else can ever know. I hate to place that burden on you, but having this knowledge is dangerous."

Bell nodded. She looked up at the front of the house. We could see Charlie's silhouette in the front window watching us. "Edward, I need some time to think all of this over. It's all a bit more than I expected. But you should know, no matter what, your family's secret will be safe."

"Thank you and I understand." I replied. This time I could not mask the hurt in me voice.

Bella opened her door and got out. Before closing it, she leaned in. "Please answered me one more question. I think I already know the answer to this, but I have to have to hear it from you. Am I your mate?"

Bella's eyes had welled with tears again and her bottom lip was trembling. My dead heart broke seeing her pain and sadness.

"You are." I told her. Bella nodded and closed the door.

I watched as she slowly walked into the house. Once inside I could see from Charlie's thoughts that Bella started sobbing as she ran to him. Charlie wrapped his arms around Bella and comforted her.

I started the vehicle and pulled out of the driveway. They both needed their privacy. Bella said she needed time and I would give her that, even if that meant I stayed away for a lifetime. As I drove away, my world shattered as I wondered if I would ever see her again.


	39. Chapter 39

~ Great Bear Lake, Northwest Territories, Canada - August 28, 2004 ~

Hell. That is where my emotions and psyche have been the past week. After I dropped Bella off at her house after our talk last Saturday, I hadn't heard from her or Charlie since. She was back in Phoenix now. The mating bond demanded that I go after her, but I wouldn't. I promised Charlie not to seek her out. I hope he told her that. I hoped she wasn't waiting for me to show up and smooth things over. But I doubted she was. Bella's words left little doubt that if, or when, she wanted to contact with me, she would reach out. Plus, Charlie was not a devious person. I trusted that he informed her of the conditions that prompted my confession.

Time for a vampire is a strange construct. A year can go by in virtual blink of an eye, or a week can last an eternity, at least that is how it felt. So many questions and bouts of second-guessing can pass through one's mind in a week.

 _Was I just a distraction?_

 _Did I push her too hard?_

 _I should have waited to tell her…given her more time to get to know me?_

 _Did she despise me because of the people I murdered?_

 _I knew I mated on her, but did she mate on me? For vampires it's always symmetrical, but she is a human…would she only feel the pull of the mating bond if she was vampire?_

 _Will I ever see her again? Will I ever feel her hand in mine? Will I ever kiss her lips again?_

 _Should I go speak with Charlie?_

 _Maybe I was wrong about my soul? Maybe this torment is God's way of punishing me for what I am or the people I murdered?_

 _If Bella decides to go on and have a life without me in it, how will I cope? And when she leaves this earth, how can I follow?_

 _Did Charlie celebrate Bella's birthday early like he had planned?_

 _How could she leave without at least saying good-bye?_

After I got back to the house a week ago, I gave my family a summary of our conversation. Their thoughts were kind, but Esme's seemed to best sum up what they all felt.

 _"My poor, Edward. He's just can't seem to escape the black cloud that seems to follow him around."_

At least none of my family blamed Charlie or Bella. Neither of them had asked to be indoctrinated into our world. We were the disruptive force in their lives, not the other way around. Despite the personal hell I found myself in, I wouldn't change anything. For a handful of hours, I was able to be carefree and capture a glimpse of what a future would be like with her. As we sat on the beach I had wanted that moment to last forever. Now it appears I may have to make those memories last that long. I knew she could still accept me, so there was some hope. But it is hard to focus on that glimmer when all I could see and feel is despair.

Except for Alice and Jasper, I had received all of the advice and comfort my family could provide. A few days ago I decided to reach out to Alice for some guidance, but she texted me and said she would not help and that I needed to go through this without her visions. I know Alice told me not to get frustrated if things did not go perfectly, but I would classify Bella fleeing Forks a tad more severe than 'less than perfect'.

So I waited back in Forks until I knew Bella's plane had landed in Phoenix without any issues, I then told my family I was going north on a little trip. I didn't plan on being long, but I had contacted Garrett and asked if he could meet me in Canada. I wanted a fresh perspective and some advice from him. During our short time traveling together years back, I valued the guidance and wisdom he offered. Plus, I needed to get away from Forks and all of its reminders of Bella, even if it was just for a few days.

We were to meet at the western side of Great Bear Lake in the Northwest Territories. I had arrived earlier than expected, so I wondered around the area. I was about six miles northeast of Déline, near a small fishing shack. There, I found a long wooden dock that curved out into the lake. I stood at its end and looked out over the calm water, enjoying the mental quiet the area provided. It was twilight and the remaining sunlight lit the surface of the lake with hues of red and indigo. I stayed there until nightfall descended as I tried not to think. I knew I would lose that battle, but the effort was relaxing.

* * *

Several hours later I caught the faint thoughts of Garrett and Kate. As they got closer, I pulled my gaze away from the water and walked back to the fishing shack. Soon I heard Garret's voice carrying though the night.

"Hello, Edward! I see you changed our meeting location. It's a good thing Kate has a better sense of tracking than I do." I had intended to travel further north to our original meeting location, but I had stayed out on the dock too long.

 _Oops!_

They both approached holding hands and smiling. After we embraced and inquired about our respective families, we found a spot by the water to have our talk.

"Garrett, I have to admit your amber eyes are very becoming." I told him with a smirk.

"Well, it wasn't easy at first, but Kate keeps me grounded and focused." He replied. "Part of me misses prowling some battlefield or urban hovel for prey, but I have accepted that those days are behind me. How about you? Are you still helping the local law enforcement rid their streets of crime?"

"A little bit," I replied as I thought of what happened out at the Robert Mitchell farm.

"And how about Phoenix? How many times have you've been back there to check on your singer." Garrett teased. The fake smile I had been forcing dropped and I looked away from the two of them.

Kate gasped. "Edward, did you…" Kate's words trailed off but her thoughts continued. "...accidentally kill your singer?"

"Lord, no!" I exclaimed. "I didn't kill her." I looked back and forth between, before continuing. "She is my mate."

A stunned look passes between them.

"A singer and then a mate. What are the odds?" Garrett muses. "When was she changed?"

I shook my head to answer him.

"She's still a human?" he asked incredulously. "You mated on a human?"

"Is that even possible?" Kate asked, still stunned by the news.

"Apparently," I replied. "But I'm not sure she mated with me."

I then went on and told them both about my entire history with Bella. I covered everything. The nomads we killed. The intervening years I spent on my own. Arriving in Forks and meeting Charlie. Discovering that he was my singer's father. The Robert Mitchell case and its outcome, which made them both wide-eyed. Picking up Bella from the airport. Discovering that she was my mate. The day we spent together. Speaking to Charlie about Bella knowing what I am. I ended my tale with the story about telling Bella about my existence as a vampire and the subsequent aftermath.

Garrett and Kate sat dead still. By the time I finished the morning sun was just about to come into view. I suggested we move further into the wilderness so any stray humans would not see us in the morning sun. After we moved into the trees, they both had a few questions, but they were easily answered.

"The reason I wanted to see you Garrett, and Kate your input is welcome too, is to get some input on what you think I should do next."

Garrett looked at Kate, who nodded back. "We will help if we can, but this scenario is a bit beyond the normal," he replied.

"So let me ask you, do think a human can mate with a vampire? Or, would she not mate until being a vampire?" I asked.

"I have never heard of a human and vampire mating, but that doesn't mean she doesn't feel that same as you." Garrett replied. "Your empathic brother may be the best source of that information, but as you told us, he and Alice have removed themselves from the drama, at least for the time being. During your last conversation with Bella, were you monitoring her reactions closely?"

"Of course," I replied. "I have monitored and cataloged almost every reaction."

"When did she become withdrawn during your conversation?" he asked. I had analyzed this point quite a bit over the past week and I disliked what I remembered.

"When I spoke about my rebellious period and the humans I killed, she became visibly shocked and quiet. However, it was when we discussed vampire mating that she really pulled back into herself. In fact, the final question she asked was to inquire if she was my mate."

Kate placed her hand on Garrett's arm. "Edward, if I may?" she asked.

"By all means. I need all the help I can get." I responded.

"Even though I have not been human for over a millennia, my sisters and I have had our fair share of encounters with humans." Her statement elicited a feral grow from Garrett. I could see from his thoughts he hated to think of any creature, vampire or human, being intimate with his mate.

Kate rolled her eyes at Garrett before continuing. "I am also a female too. I'm sure Esme and Rose both have weighed in on this, but my perspective might be a bit different. Unlike Tanya and Irina, I never imagined myself mating. I never felt that I was somehow incomplete because I was alone. Even though I had sisters, and Eleazar and Carmen, I always believed I was independent. Men, whether vampire or human, were just accessories…playthings."

Kate paused while she patted Garrett's hand. "Now I know my dear Garrett here was in a similar way with his eternal bachelorhood, but when we mated he accepted it with out pause. That is not to say, I rejected him…far from it. We were inseparable from the first moment. The emotional part of me craved Garrett and gave myself over to him without reservation. I only felt complete and content when I was with him. However, the intellectual part of me mourned my independence. For many centuries I had thrived without a mate. During our first year together, the intellectual side of me waited for the mating bond to feel like a yoke. It never happened and I now see that I was foolish to ever think being mated could be burdensome. But you see for a female, vampire or human, whom is living in a male dominated world, losing even the appearance of choice or freedom can be unsettling."

"Do you think Bella feels that her choices have been taken away by her connection with me?" I asked. I would never want her to feel she was limited or stifled. I loved her independent and feisty nature. For me mating was liberating, but Kate might be right that Bella may not see it that way.

"It is a possibility," Kate replied.

"But it could also be that she either doesn't have those same feelings, or the realities of being with what we are too much for her." Garrett added. "I always felt that if humans were better equipped emotionally and intellectually to handle the existence of the supernatural world, vampires would have already declared themselves. The simple fact could be she just cannot accept that side of you."

"And, who is to say she is not still coming to a decision." Kate said. "Once you mated and recognized the bond, your feelings and desires were set. From what you told us, I find it hard to believe she didn't have feelings for you...probably very intense ones too. But the human brain can only handle so much unbalance. I actually think she was wise to step back and want to think about everything you told her. This is not a topic you want to be impulsive on."

"So if you were me, what would you do?" I asked.

Garrett laughed at that thought. He was damn glad he was not in my shoes. "I would be in Phoenix," Garrett replied. "But that is only because I would not be conflicted about breaking the promises you made to your mate's father. My guess is that you do not want to break those promises."

"That is correct," I answered.

"Then really, your only two options are to go off on your own again or to return to your family. Either way you will be waiting in misery. At least being with your parents, you have a better opportunity of finding out how she is doing."

"Plus, if she does decide to get in touch with you, where do you think she will contact you? Certainly not up here at Great Bear Lake." Kate added.

They were correct. Waiting would be torturous no matter where I was. At least in Forks, I would be near the places I spent time with Bella. I know realized that in her absence, my music room, our beach, and even the park, were my only connections to her. Two days ago I left to get away from those reminders, now I needed them.

* * *

With my decision to return to Forks set, I spent the remainder of the day listening to Garrett and Kate tell me about their life together. They were happy and Garrett's wanderlust and human bloodlust have been kept in check. Before we parted, we all went hunting together. Garrett had wanted to show off his vegetarian hunting skills, plus, he wanted to thank me in private for helping him find Kate. He also wanted to tell me one more time that I should never bet against Alice. If she said I should try not to over think things and curb my frustration, then I should do just that.

That was easy enough for Garrett to say, but I was the one that had to do it.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_

 _ **I would like to say I was sorry for leaving you hanging last Monday, but I'm not. Just like I am not sorry for this little cliffy either! :) ;) :)**_

 _ **Thank you to everyone that has reviewed! I am thinking of writing some additional scenes (perhaps as outtakes if I can't make them work within the story), so if you have a favorite canon scene that you would like these characters to experience, let me know. I'll pick some and see where these characters take them. For example, I am working on a Halloween scene (I know, not really canon...but it is seasonal) that will be added.**_

 _ **-Chris**_


	40. Chapter 40

~ Forks, Washington - September 04, 2004 ~

Another week had passed and I still had no word from Bella. The emotional pain had moved in the physical realm. Everyday I sat in the music room at my piano and remembered how Bella looked sitting in the garden window. My only bright spot of the week was two days ago when I supposed to go into the station, but Mark had called and told me Charlie wasn't around so there was no reason to come in. I had been hoping to accomplish two things at the station that day. The first was to obviously glean some information about Bella. The second was to confess to him that I could read minds. After I told Bella about our gifts, I knew I would have to tell Charlie. My guess was he would be upset knowing his private thoughts were anything but that, however I couldn't fathom how much worse this could get.

When Mark canceled, I also realized how much I had missed spending time with Charlie. As a byproduct of my gift, I long ago came to the conclusion that most individuals, whether vampire or human, are petty and think meanly of others. Their thoughts often belied their actions in an unflattering way. But Charlie's thoughts often showed the additional depth and consideration he purposely chose to conceal. Plus, his private musings about fishing and his sports teams were amusing. It now seemed I lost not only Bella, but Charlie as well.

I was about to go for a run to clear my thoughts when my phone rang. The call was from Charlie's home number.

"Hello?" I answered calmly as I could, despite my growing anxiety.

"Hello, Edward, It's Charlie Swan." he replied. He sounded nervous. "I am calling because Bella has asked me to pass along a message to you. But I am under strict orders from her to give it to you in person. Do you think you could come by the house today around 10:00am?"

The surge of excitement I felt over being able to get any information was powerful. I had to concentrate carefully on my strength so I would not pulverize the phone. That would be counter productive to my goal.

"I can come by." I answered excitedly, but then I forced myself to calm down. "Charlie? Is she okay?"

"I think she is. When you come over, we'll talk. Okay?" He replied.

"I would appreciate that." I told him.

"I'll see you soon, then. Bye, Edward."

"Good bye, Charlie, and thank you."

* * *

I pulled up in front of Charlie Swan's house a couple minutes early. I was a bit surprised not to see his cruiser parked in the driveway or hear his thoughts. I assumed he was called out on police business. I was tempted to stop by later, but I turned off the engine and decided to wait. As I sat inside my vehicle I heard the rapid beating of a heart coming from Charlie's house. I knew that heart beat. I existed for that heart beat. Dropping all pretenses since no one else was around, I exited the SUV and flew to the door at my vampire speed. I took a deep breath and reveled in her intoxicating scent. Before I could knock, the door swung open.

 _Bella._

"Hi," the love of my existence greeted me with a smile.

"You're here?" It was all I could say at that moment.

"I am." Her smile turned to a full smirk as she took in my stunned look. "Do you want to come in?"

I nodded.

Once we were in the family room, she motioned for me to sit down.

The initial shock of seeing her had started to wear off and the realization that Charlie had tricked me started to set in.

Bella played nervously with an elastic hairband she wore on her wrist. "I guess you are wondering what I am doing here?" she asked.

"Yes, and a few other things."

"Well, the simple answer is that I live here now."

"What? Really?" I asked excitedly.

Bella nodded and then continued. "This is something I'd been thinking about for a while now. My Mom's new husband, Phil, is a minor league baseball player. He is trying to catch on with a team in Jacksonville. My mom misses him when he's on the road playing and if he has to move to Florida…well I don't want to live in Florida. Originally, I thought I would move up here after Christmas, but then Dad got injured so the seed was planted that maybe I should move up here sooner." Bella paused and really looked at me for the first time since she started talking. "And then you came along and everything was wonderful and confusing at the same time. I hadn't even spoken to Dad about me moving up here before I started falling for you...and then there was learning about your secret."

Bella got up and paced around the room. I could see she still had something to say, so instead of asking my many questions, I patiently waited.

"Edward, I realize that I left you hanging a couple weeks ago. That wasn't fair to you and I'm sorry. I was overwhelmed by many of the things you told me. It was hard for me to reconcile what you are and the lives you took with person I knew. But mostly I was freaked the hell out by the whole mating thing."

Bella sat down next to me on the couch and took my hand in hers. The heat and the comfort it brought to me was more than welcomed. She closed her eyes as I saw the stress leave her shoulders. After a couple of breaths, she opened her eyes and smiled.

"You feel this too, don't you? This connection between us?" she asked.

"I do, very much so." I answered.

"It was there from the beginning for me. I couldn't explain it. I fell so hard and fast for you. I was scared of the feelings I had, but you seemed to be smitten too, so I didn't dwell on it. I was convinced that I was in deeper than you. Guys just don't fall in love after a few hours, right? But that was before I knew what you were. As soon as you mentioned that your father had a mate. The word and it general connotation just clicked with me. Then after you described what it meant for a…vampire…I just freaked out."

Bella got up and started pacing again…this time faster than before. When she continued, her words came out quick and desperate.

"You were talking about mating and forever…and I couldn't deny what I felt. But come on! I'm only seventeen…almost. The idea of you and I being eternally destined for one another was absurd. I don't even know what college I want to go to or what to major in! How was I supposed to accept that I had fallen hopelessly and irrevocably in love with this sexy, mythical creature…and that I really had no say in the matter! I mean...thanks to some fucked up supernatural love mojo, I find out that you and I are both bound to each other for eternity. I don't even know your middle name or you favorite color for Christ's sake!"

Bella sank down on the chair across from me, covering her face with her hands. The scent of her tears hung in the air. In a blink I was kneeling in front of her. I pulled her to my chest and wrapped my arms around her as she started to sob. I held Bella against me and allowed her purge all of her pent up emotions. Lord knows I had them too, but since I couldn't cry them out, I let her do that for the both of us.

After a few minutes her breathing evened out.

"Anthony and brown," I whispered to her. Bella pulled away with a confused look. "My middle name and favorite color. Anthony and brown."

Bella wiped her tears and nodded. "Thank you. I swore I wasn't going to cry." She sat up and pulled my hands into her lap. "I have more to say."

"I am not going anywhere," I told her. "Go on."

Bella gave me a slight smile. "The day after, on Sunday, I talked to Dad about moving here. Let's just say he was quite excited about it. I did make sure he knew I was considering this before you came into the picture. But as my Dad said, you being here was one hell of a fringe benefit." Bella smiled and shook her head. "The two of us pretty much spent the remainder of my visit trying to get things coordinated. Between dealing with my Mom, meeting with the school district, filling out paperwork, requesting transcripts, being placed on Dad's insurance, moving my bank account, and a few other things I'm forgetting, I wanted to get back here as soon as possible, so I had to push you out of my mind and focus on the task at hand."

Bella paused and turned my hand over, before she placed a chaste kiss to my palm. "But I couldn't keep from thinking of you, especially at night. I want you to know you were the last person I thought about each night. The person I dreamt about, and the first person I thought of when I woke up. Before I knew it, it was time fly back to Phoenix. I swear, with each mile my plane flew south I felt a bigger and more painful hole open up in my chest.

"It was much harder to focus in Phoenix. At first, my Mom was pissed at me for abandoning her, and then she got into full-on mother hen mode because her baby was leaving. Plus I had to pack up my life and say goodbye to a few friends. I forced myself to work through each task. I used you as my motivation to push forward. The faster I got everything done, the faster I could return to Forks…return to you."

Bella reached up a laid her hand against my cheek. I pressed into her palm and closed my eyes, basking in the sublime joy of her touch.

"Edward, when I got home after our talk in the park, I was a mess. Dad let me cry and we talked. Hell, we talked until three in the morning. I knew then that it didn't matter what you were, or what you did decades ago. Vampire or human, it didn't matter. What did matter to me was the man you are now. It took me longer to work through the whole mating thing, though. Growing up, my mom was not shy on telling me, over and over again, that I should never let anyone dictate my future…especially a guy. She preached that it was up to me to find my own way in the world and to create my own happiness. The concept of mating seemed to contradict all of that.

"It wasn't until I was back in Phoenix that I started to come to grips with the concept of mating. It actually came to me as I was packing up my room. I was going through my things, trying to decide what to keep and what to throw away. I was never much into possessions. I was always more into experiences. The one exception was my books. I loved them. But as I was packing them up I realized it was the story and experiences the characters went through that I cherished, not the physical book itself. I could feel something tugging at me with regards to that line of thought. So before I knew it, I was up most of the night going through my favorite stories trying to figure out what I enjoyed the most about them. Some common themes started to emerge, so I wrote them down on a piece of paper."

Bella handed me a folded piece of paper she had in the back pocket of her jeans

 _Adventure_

 _Courage_

 _Discovery_

 _Family_

 _Friendship_

 _Passion_

 _True love_

"That list, Edward, is how I see my future. Some people may judge the success of their life on the things they buy or control, but that isn't me. I know happiness for me will come from seeking out the things on that list. I know that list may change over time, but I think that is pretty good place to start. My epiphany about mating came when I realized that mating did not preclude anything on that list. In fact, most, if not all of the items listed would only be improved by sharing it with the person I loved the most. Plus, I also realized that if I let my mom or dad's tainted notions of dating and marriage influence what I wanted…sorry, but they never covered eternal mating with me…then I wasn't really living my own life."

I was amazed by my wonderful Bella and a bit ashamed how had acted over the past two weeks. I knew she was confused and upset by what I said…really any human should be. Kate even eluded that the idea of being mated could illicit anxiety over the expected loss of independence and freewill. But I was still too wrapped up into my own loneliness and pity to truly appreciate what Bella was going through. She was intelligent and thoughtful beyond her years. In the span of days she wrestled with and accepted me as her mate, or at least I think she did. I still had enough insecurity coursing through me that I needed to hear from her that she accepted me as her partner for eternity.

"Bella, you covered a lot of ground here. I hope you won't think I'm dense or just fishing for the obvious, but are you saying you're accepting me as your mate, or whatever the human equivalent to that is?"

Bella smiled before throwing her arms around my neck and kissing me passionately. She pulled away slightly and moved her lips close to my ear. "Yes. For as long as you'll have me, I'm yours," she said softy.

I closed my eyes and allowed her words to pour through me. Never had I felt so much joy and lightness. I picked Bella up and spun her around. She squealed and giggled while I peppered her face and neck with soft kisses. When I placed her down I hugged her close to me.

"You said for as long as I will have you, then let's start with forever and see what happens after that," I said before kissing my beautiful mate again.


	41. Chapter 41

~ Forks, Washington - September 04, 2004 ~

After Bella and I kissed for a while, we settled on the couch and cuddled. I knew there was still a lot to work out between the two of us, but we had time.

"Edward, I know I said I came to terms with the whole mating thing…and don't hate me for this…but I want to take things slow. And before you jump to any conclusions, this has nothing to do with me being uncertain, because I am certain. I just feel like we sort of jumped into the middle part of a relationship and I don't want to miss the beginning part. After all, it was you that said falling in love was the best part. I want to fall for awhile."

"I want to fall for awhile too," I told her as I softy kissed her forehead and held her close to me. "I grew up in a much different time, and even though I have to come to accept the modern view on dating and intimacy, I'm still quite old fashioned. During my human life I never experienced falling for someone, and in the subsequent eighty-six years, I haven't been interested in romance, until now. Bella you are, and will be, my first everything. I want to savor these experiences with you. I just want us to do what feels natural."

I paused before I continued with a topic I needed to cover with her. "Plus, there is another reason I need to go slower. In the park I showed you some of my strength, but I'm actually quite a bit stronger. When I'm with you, I need to be extra careful. If I lose focus, I could hurt you or worse. As much as I will need to learn how to please you, I will also need to learn to curb my strength during those moments."

Bella nodded. "Thank you for understanding," she answered back. Bella pulled away from my chest and looked at me. "So you never did anything with anyone. Not even kissing?"

"No, I haven't. So if I'm not good at something or I don't do it right, please let me know. You don't how much I want to please you."

"Edward, if the way you kiss is any indication, then I don't think you'll have anything to worry about." Bella blushed before looking away embarrassed. "I have kissed before, but it was never like kissing you. Not even in the same league. You are so much better than the two other boys I've kissed. But that is all I've really done. Last year Bobby McManus tried to get to second base with me, but I slapped him for it. He was a creep." She looked up at me. "So you may not have been my first kiss, but I wish you were. I'm happy you'll be my first for everything else."

"I can't say that I am glad that I missed being your first kiss, or that Bobby McManus tried to take liberties, but I am honored to be your first otherwise." I placed a chaste kiss on Bella's lips. Just knowing that we could share small intimacies like that, and that we would share even greater ones, filled me with joy.

"I can't believe you live here now," I said. "What do you still have to do to get settled in?"

"I'm mostly done. I have to get some school supplies and buy some more appropriate clothes for the Forks climate. Dad is actually out getting me a new cell phone right now. The only other thing I want is to get is a car, because I refuse to have Dad drive me around in the cruiser everyday. I'd been saving up money for one for a while, but Dad wants to help out. He said Billy Black has an old truck he might be willing to part with, so I'll have to see."

I now knew why Alice never wanted me to get rid of the SUV. I treated it well and Rosalie has it running it better than new. It was safe and reliable. In other words perfect for Bella. Plus, I'd be damned if I would allow Bella to drive a beat up truck, let alone one from the Black's. Jacob would probably feel he had some claim on her because of it. I decided that I would pull Charlie aside and make him offer to buy it dirt-cheap. I would rather give it to her, or better yet, buy her a new one, but I doubt either Bella or Charlie would accept that, at least right now.

"So what about all of your stuff from Phoenix?" I asked

"Some of it is here, at least the important stuff. One of the first things I did in Phoenix was figure out what I wanted to have with me up here, so I boxed it up and sent it up here via UPS. The boxes actually beat me up here by a day. I brought in my luggage most of my Forks friendly clothes, and the rest my Mom will send up over the next couple of weeks. Dad already had my room setup for when I visited him, so I didn't need to bring up any furniture. Hey, do you want to come up and see my room?" She asked excitedly.

"Sure, lead the way."

Bella grabbed my hand and led me up the stairs to her room.

"So here it is." Bella said as we entered. "Last year, Dad got me this bed and dresser. The desk is new. And those boxes are my books and other stuff I had sent up, but I'm missing a bookcase, which I'm to get next weekend. So what do you think? I mean it's not like your cottage, but at least the room looks like a grown-up lives here. My room back Phoenix still had a lot of things from when I was a kid."

Bella's room was nice. The natural wood of the furniture went well with the earthy greens and purples that colored the room. Framed black and white photographs of landscapes hung on the walls. A bit of whimsy was provided by a couple strands of decorative firefly lights that hung in swags from the ceiling. It was feminine, but not girly. It was Bella.

"I really like this." I looked at the framed pictures and noticed they were signed 'B. Swan'. "Bella, did you take these photographs?"

"I did. What do you think?" She asked shyly while she bit her lip.

"They are really amazing. The contrast and lighting are very dynamic…simply stunning. I guess these are these places you've visited?"

"They are. I took some with my Mom and some with Dad. Freshman year, Mom and I took a photography course at the local community college in Phoenix. She dropped out after the second week. I stayed in and then continued on to the advanced class. I loved it. Dad was so proud of my enthusiasm for it, he bought me a nice manual thirty-five millimeter camera. You really can't get the exposures in those photographs with an automatic. A manual is a way to go."

"You'll have to show these to Esme," I told her. "She loves black and white photography. Ansel Adams is one of her favorite artists. She has a few originals of his in her office."

"Really? I would love to see them!" Bella nearly squealed.

"Well, I know my family wants to meet you. I'm sure Esme would love to show them to you. What do you say, do you want to go meet my family?" I asked.

"Um…okay," Bella answered hesitantly. "They aren't mad at me or anything are they? Not only did I stand them up the last time, but then I left town."

I sat down on Bella's bed and patted the spot next to me. When Bella dropped down on to the bed, I took her hands into mine. "No, they're not mad at you. Everyone understands and empathizes with the burden I placed upon you when I shared our secret. To be honest they will be amazed and grateful, much like I am that you took the time you needed and that you arrived at your own decision. You have nothing to worry about. I promise."

Bella nodded her head and smiled. "Okay. I just want them to like me. If we're going to do this, I want to get changed before we head over."

"Then I'll wait downstairs for you." I told her. Off in the distance I heard Charlie's cruiser coming. "Plus, I think your father is coming. I wanted to speak to him anyway."

Bella just looked at me confused for a moment before a look of understanding came to her.

"Okay, I won't be long."

Shortly after I was downstairs, I could hear Charlie's thoughts. He was hoping that Bella was okay and that things worked out between the two of us. He knew that part of Bella's happiness with her move to Forks would be attributed to me, so he begrudging decided to accept her and I together.

From upstairs I heard Bella running the shower, she really didn't need to prepare like that for my family, but I could understand that she wanted to make a good impression. Plus, this would give me a chance to speak to Charlie.

I waited in the family room, trying very hard not to think about Bella's current state of undress. A few minutes later, Charlie entered the house, where he found me seated on the couch.

"Hello, Edward," he greeted. "Where's Bella?"

"She is upstairs changing." I replied. Charlie heard the shower running. He didn't like the idea of me being in the house alone with her while she was showering, but he was glad to see that I was respectful enough to wait downstairs. "If it is okay with you, I wanted to take Bella over to my house and introduce her to my family."

"I assume then that everything went okay?" He asked, secretly dreading the answer.

"Yes, it did. You have an amazing daughter, Charlie. She has had to deal with so much the past couple of weeks."

"I agree with you, she is amazing." Charlie answered. "Since Bella is busy, there is something I would like to speak to you about. I know I can't really threaten you like a father should be able to, but I want your word you will respect my daughter and treat her like she deserves. I understand you two are supposed to have some supernatural connection to one another, but I don't want Bella's time here to be all about being with you. I want her to have a chance to meet friends and experience high school. I only have her for two years, and I am looking forward to really being part of her life for the first time. I want to see her graduate. After that I would like her to go to college, but I suspect you two may have other plans. Just promise me you will never limit her opportunities. And promise me someday she will go to college."

Charlie expected that Bella would be joining me as a vampire after high school. It was the natural progression of us being mated. The fact that Charlie understood and hadn't forbidden me from seeing his daughter was a good sign. I just didn't know how Bella stood on the subject of becoming like me. At one time I would have dreaded her becoming a vampire, but now I would support anything that would give me the most time with Bella.

"You have my word. I will respect and cherish her. I too want her to have as many human experiences as she desires. Neither one of us wants to rush into anything. And just so you know, I have been to college many times. I promise that if Bella wants that experience she can have it."

Charlie wrestled with the concept of immortality. Despite going against his own humanity and his vague religious beliefs, he could appreciate the wealth of opportunities being eternal offered.

"You should probably also know that normal dating rules will apply." Charlie added. "When Bella is out with you she will be given a curfew and possibly other restrictions. I expect the two of you to respect and adhere to these rules. Also, any displays of affection should be tempered in my presence. I'm not oblivious to what teenagers do, but she is my daughter and I don't want to see you two making out. If that happens, I may just have to see how bulletproof you really are."

"I promise to obey your rules, however Bella is a willful woman, and I wouldn't ever try to curb that." I paused for a moment to check Charlie's thoughts. He accepted my promises, but he would be watching to make sure I treated his daughter well and that I followed his rules. "If I may, there is something I would like speak to you about."

"Sure, what's on your mind," Charlie answered.

"Bella mentioned that you were looking into getting a vehicle for her to purchase."

Charlie gave a gruff laugh. Charlie had been saving up money for the past year to get Bella a car, but Renee did not want her having her own vehicle in Phoenix. Not only was Bella in Forks now, but Charlie secretly liked the idea of doing something for her that Renee didn't want.

"We are," He replied. "But between you and I, Bella will not be buying it. I will. I just need to find something safe and reliable at a decent price."

I could see from his thoughts that he worried the money he had saved would not be enough. He didn't want a car payment on top of her insurance payment.

"Well, that is what I wanted to talk to you about. I was going to sell my SUV and get something else. Maybe we could work something out. My sister Rosalie has always done the maintenance on the car and I can assure you it runs better than new."

Charlie was impressed with Rose's mechanical skills. His cruiser has been running so well he was more than tempted to take her up on the offer to look at the police force's other vehicles. However, he knew that my SUV would fetch a price a few times more than what he could spend.

"Edward, I don't think I can afford something like that. I was thinking something older and less luxurious."

I leveraged the advantage of knowing how much he could spend and I offered it to him at five hundred dollars less. I would rather just give it to him, but Charlie did not accept handouts.

Despite his reluctance, Charlie worked it over in his mind. He knew Bella would be safe in my SUV. He knew I was giving him a low-ball price because of what Bella was to me. He also knew my vehicle was vastly superior to Billy Black's old Chevy truck that his friend has been trying to sell…for the past five years. With his decision made he answered.

"Edward, you know that price is too low. That vehicle has to be worth a hell of a lot more than that. However, I accept you offer. I assume you don't need to get your parent's permission on this?"

I laughed at Charlie's comment. "No. Their permission is not necessary." I heard Bella come down the steps. I was unsure how I wanted to explain this to Bella. Charlie was too. "Charlie, I'll transfer the title to you on Tuesday. We can work out the money details later."

He nodded and we shook on our deal right as Bella entered the room.

"Work out what money details?" She asked.

"I just bought Edward's SUV from him. It looks like you have yourself a car." Charlie said.

Bella looked between the two of us with a stunned look on her face. She glanced outside towards the SUV and then to Charlie and I. Her brow was wrinkled in thought. Charlie couldn't tell if she was mad or just taken back by this development. I was equally confused. Finally Bella sighed before she gave us both a genuine smile. She walked over to Charlie and gave him a big hug.

"Thank you, Dad," she said. "I love you." Charlie hugged her back. He loved being her hero.

Bella released her Dad and turned towards me. "And, you," she said in a mock chastising tone. "You better hand over those keys, because I'm driving us out to your house. There is no way I am letting you behind the wheel of _my_ car…you drive too fast." She finished with a wink.

* * *

Author's Note:

No cliffy this time ;) Thank you to everyone that has reviewed!


	42. Chapter 42

~ Forks, Washington - September 04, 2004 ~

I felt like Cary Grant in "To Catch A Thief". Specifically the scene where he was in the car with Grace Kelly and she was driving like a maniac. Bella was driving the same way. Just like Cary, I was gripping my knees as the SUV sped towards my house. If we wrecked, nothing would happen to me, but my Bella is not durable like I am. I'm pretty sure I could grab her and jump to safety, but she had me worried.

Bella looked over at me and smirked. "What's the matter there, Mario Andretti, am I'm I driving too fast for you?" She teased.

"Does Charlie know that you have a death wish behind the wheel?" I asked as I watch the speedometer rise.

"Please…I only drive this way when I have a hunky vampire passenger that wouldn't let anything happen to me."

"And does that happen often…having a hunky vampire passenger that is?"

"Nope. You're the first." Bella quips as she took the turn onto our private road. Sensing that this road was bit more dangerous, Bella slowed the vehicle. We were still going too fast for my comfort, but at least she was not going the breakneck speed she was just traveling.

As we got closer to the house, I could start to hear the thoughts of my family, including Alice and Jasper. In a surprise move, they had returned from their vacation early.

" _Now that Edward has his Bella, I no longer need to stay away._ " I could hear Alice tell my family. " _Plus, we're dying to meet her just the same as you all are._ "

"Bella, it appears that my full family is at the house," I tell her. "Alice and Jasper, who had been away, have decided to come back early. I'm just warning you to be prepared. Alice can be a bit much for the uninitiated."

" _I heard that!_ " Alice thought at me.

"Oh," Bella answered while a distressed look came over her face. After a few seconds she shrugged her shoulders. "Well, in for a penny, in for a pound. Just promise me that you and I can get away for a bit. Okay?"

"That's an easy promise to make," I assured her. "I would like to have some time alone as well."

When we pulled up to the house, my family had assembled themselves in the family room. With Bella's hand in mine, I walked her into the house. Esme was the first to come forward and greet us.

"Hello, Bella. I'm Esme Cullen, Edwards mother, for all intents. Welcome to our home!" Esme pulled Bella into a quick hug. She then turned and hugged me too.

" _I'm so happy for you!_ " She thought as she gave me an extra squeeze.

"This is my husband and mate, Carlisle." Esme said as she pulled Carlisle forward and wrapped her arm around his waist.

"Hello, Bella. It is indeed a pleasure to finally meet you." Carlisle greeted.

"Hello," Bella answered. "Thank you for having me over, Dr. and Mrs. Cullen."

"Enough of the Dr. and Mrs., okay? We're just Esme and Carlisle." Esme corrected Bella with a warm smile.

Bella nodded and smiled. It could tell by the set of her shoulders that she was starting relax a bit.

Alice and Jasper approached her next. "Hi, Bella. I'm Alice and we're going to great friends!" Alice squealed as she hugged Bella.

When Alice pulled away, Bella looked at her strangely. "Okay," she replied before looking at Jasper.

Jasper stayed a step back, smiled genuinely at Bella. "Hello, Bella. I'm Jasper." He said with a slight bow.

Finally Rose and Emmett approached. "Hey, Bella. I'm Emmett. If Eddie steps out of line, you come see me and I'll stick my foot up his ass."

"Emmett! Language!" Esme called out as Rosalie slapped him. Bella giggled at Emmett being…well, Emmett.

"Excuse my husband, Bella. I'm Rosalie, but you can just call me Rose." Rose gave Bella a hug.

Bella smiled at my family. "Hello. Thank you for having me and for allowing me to know how special your family is. I hope you all know I would never tell anyone." As Bella spoke she kept glancing over at Emmett and Rose. "I'm sorry I keep staring, but I think I seen both of you before." Bella paused while she looked them over. "Emmett, were you at the airport when Edward picked me up?"

"I was!" Emmett exclaimed excitedly. "Well, I guess that is to be expected. I'm kind of unforgettable." Bella giggled, Rose snorted, and the rest of my family rolled their eyes in response to Emmett's well-inflated ego.

"I remember, you ran into Edward while we were talking." She paused slightly while she tried to suppress a smile. "I thought it was a very rude thing to do. But now I can see it was just you being you." My family laughed at Bella's teasing, while Emmett just shook his head.

"Oh, I like her already!" Jasper vocalized what everyone else was thinking.

"So how do you know me?" Rose asked. In her thoughts she was both curious and worried that Bella had recognized her.

"Hmm." Bella looked at Rose, specifically she was looking at Rose's face. "When I was a kid I had substitute dance teacher that looked like you. She was the most gorgeous woman I'd ever seen, and her dancing was so graceful. I was about to quit, but she talked me into trying a new dance school across town, which was amazing." Bella paused to look at Rose some more. "You know, for years afterwards I used to color all the princesses in my coloring books so they looked like that teacher. You two look so much alike, especially the eyes." Bella paused and looked around at all of our faces. "I'd never seen eyes like hers before until I met Edward, and now your family." Bella paused for a moment while she mulled over something. "Rose, were you ever in Phoenix?"

" _Should I tell her, Edward?_ " Rose thought.

I didn't want to keep secrets from Bella. She was too important, but I just got her back today. I didn't want her to freak out again, once she knew my family had been involved in her life for a while. Plus, it would be hard to explain without getting into Bella's initial connection with me as my singer. However she deserved to know everything. I just had to have faith that she could absorb one more shockingly weird thing.

I took a slow breath and nodded slightly towards Rose.

"I have," Rose answered. "It was me at the dance studio."

Bella gasped before turning to look at me with a shocked expression. I rubbed a pattern on the back of her hand gathering the strength to have this much-needed conversation.

"Bella, I think I need to explain some things," I told her.

"Actually, Edward you don't, but I do." Alice said, surprising the rest of the family and me. During the introductions Alice's mind had been very quiet. I should have guessed she had something planned.

" _Edward, Bella will take this much better if I explain. She may get upset. It is better for her to be upset with me rather than you. Please trust me to tell her, okay?_ " Alice thought.

I gave Alice a nod and said a small prayer that she would be right about this.

"Bella, I think you, Esme, Rose and I need to have a little girl talk," Alice continued. "I promise to tell you everything, okay?"

Bella looked to me for reassurance. "It'll be okay," I assured her. "It's part of our story I haven't told you yet."

"You mean there is more than you being a vampire and us being mated?" Bella asked incredulously.

"There is." I told her before I placed a kiss on her forehead. "Just remember that I love you and I would never hurt you."

Bella's eyes went wide as she processed my words. It was then that I realized that was the first time I ever told her that I loved her. As far as romantic firsts, it sucked, but I wanted her to know just in case.

"You…you love me?" She asked in wonderment.

"I do. More than I could ever put into words." I kissed Bella lightly before handing her off to Alice.


	43. Chapter 43

~ Forks, Washington - September 04, 2004 ~

Emmett and Jasper had to push me out onto the back patio. I desperately wanted to stay with Bella, but my family wouldn't allow it.

"Come on, man! You know you can hear everything just fine from out here." Emmett said as he led me outside.

"He's right, plus with your gift it will be like you're in the room." Jasper added as he slapped me on the shoulder.

I knew all of this, but I wanted to be there for Bella.

"Sit down, Edward," Carlisle told me. "None of us…"

"Not even I," Jasper added.

"…know what Alice has planned." Carlisle continued. "But she must have seen the outcome and has decided this is the best avenue to take. It'll be okay, son."

I nodded to Carlisle, but I couldn't hide the look of despair on my face. My Bella had already been put through too much because of me and my family. How much more could I realistically expect her to take?

Jasper lowered himself so that we were at eye level. "Edward, you know my gift cannot directly see a mating bond, but my experience has been that the intense emotions flowing between mates is unique. I can tell you, and you can see from my thoughts, what she feels for you is just as strong as any vampire-to-vampire mating bond. She may not like what she hears, but she will find a way to accept it."

I read Jasper's thoughts. In them I saw the purity and strength of the love flowing between Bella and I. There was very little difference between us and any other mated couple Jasper had encountered. In fact, our connection seemed to be stronger than most.

"Thank you." I replied. "I'm just worried."

"Of course you are," Carlisle added. "She's your mate."

* * *

I watched through my family's thoughts as Alice arranged everyone in the family room. Esme had brought Bella a glass of lemonade and some chocolate chip cookies. It was the first time since Esme was human that she tried making them. Bella took a bite and smiled in appreciation, before she quickly ate the rest of the cookie. Esme beamed with pride that she was able to make something not only edible, but also delicious after decades of cooking abstinence.

Once everyone was seated around Bella, Alice started. "Bella, I want to tell you a little bit about my gift," she said. Alice then spent the next few minutes explaining how her gift worked, including its limitations and how Alice had learned to maneuver around them. She openly admitted to using her gift to interfere with all of our lives when her visions were troublesome.

"I started seeing visions of Edward with a mate in January of 1987," Alice told the group. The thoughts of my family were incredulous. None of them knew how far back this went. It was becoming clear Alice was not only spilling her secrets to Bella, but my family and I. "You were born in September of that year, right?" Alice asked Bella.

"I was. September thirteenth, to be exact." Bella replied.

Rose and Esme both gasped. "That was the day Edward left the family," Alice explained to Bella.

Bella looked around with in confusion. "Almost seventeen years ago, on the day you were born, Edward left the family to be on his own." Alice said in a sad voice. "His main reason was he was tired of being the only un-mated vampire in the family, but he also needed to work through some of his own personal demons. His journey apart from the family took over sixteen years. Don't worry…I'm not going to go through all of his time away. Far from it, actually. So he can fill you in on what I don't cover."

Bella took a nervous sip from her lemonade. From Alice's thoughts I could see that she looked sad.

"So let me start with the fall of 1994," Alice said. "I started seeing different visions of Edward's future. In some he had found you. In others he hadn't. I focused on the ones where he did find you. But every time he came across you, he had to deal with another issue besides the whole mating thing. You see, besides being his mate you're also his singer."

"Singer? But I'm a terrible singer!" Bella said in obvious confusion. Esme and Rose each resisted from laughing at Bella's statement.

"Let me explain," Alice replied.

From there, Alice went on to explain what a vampire's singer was. She talked about Emmett and Garrett's experiences once they found and killed their respective singers. Upon the introduction of Garrett into the story, Alice launched into sending me to Phoenix with Garrett. She explained that it would be best for Bella and I if our first meeting happened when she was young. So young, that I would struggle more with the taking of a human child's life, and that my reluctance would allow our mating bond to subtly take hold. Since we had never actually met during that time, it would've been impossible for me to see the signs of our mating.

Alice explained that after my first exposure to Bella, I became very protective of her. Part of it was because I felt bad for nearly killing her, but most of my need to protect her was because she was my mate. She explained how I assisted the police in cleaning up Phoenix of dangerous criminals. Luckily she left out the part when creepily peered into the windows of Bella's house in an attempt to check on her.

Alice then went on to explain the events of 1999, specifically when she saw the three nomad vampires passing through Phoenix. Bella was told how I had been visiting Phoenix and I decided to help the police improve their crime statistics again. One of the nomads was a tracker and he would've easily picked up my scent in Bella's neighborhood. Given the risk this could've put Bella in, Alice explained how I intercepted them in Santa Fe, with an original plan to divert them away, but because of a previously unknown vendetta against Alice, they were destroyed by Edward and the other Cullen children. Alice was sure to tell Bella that we did that because of the previous unknown history Alice had with James, the leader, and not because of Bella. Alice promised to tell her more of that story at later time.

"At that point," Alice continued, "Edward decided it would be best to stay away from Phoenix. He was worried that the risk his presence created, outweighed anything else. The next time Edward encountered you was when he saw you in your dad's thoughts."

Alice paused. She knew Bella wanted to ask a question or two.

"Can I ask a question?" Bella inquired.

"Of course," Alice replied.

"Does my blood still cause Edward the discomfort and painful thirst it did when I was a kid?" Bella asked quietly. "I don't want him to suffer to be around me." Bella reached up and wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.

I quickly stood but Emmett's heavy hand pushed me back down.

" _I know you want to go to her and comfort her,_ " he told me in his thoughts. " _But you need to let the girls deal with this._ "

"No, Bella," Alice answered. "He was worried about it, especially once your dad asked Edward to pick you up from the airport. That was why Emmett and Rose were with him that day. They ghosted you two the entire way home. However, by the time the ferry ride had ended, Edward understood you were his mate. Once he accepted this, your blood no longer sang to him."

Bella sat in silence, thinking over what had been said. After a few minutes she looked towards Rose. "But that doesn't explain about you and the dance school," Bella said to Rose.

"I know," Rose answered.

"Before I let Rose pickup telling you about her involvement, I should tell you that we met, although briefly." Alice told Bella. "My gift works best after I have met the person, face-to-face. So right after Edward first became aware of you in Phoenix, I paid you a quick visit. I rang your doorbell. You answered and I asked if I could speak to you mother. Those few seconds were all that I needed to start seeing you clearly in my visions without Edward being with you. And before you ask, you never saw my eyes. I had sunglasses on." Alice gave Bella a quick wink and smile. "Afterwards, Edward made me promise I wouldn't interfere, but he should've known I would never be able to truly keep that pledge. So that brings us back to Rose."

Rose took a needless breath before she spoke. "Bella, I hope you won't hate me after you hear my part of this story," Rose said. Bella's expression remained neutral, but it was easy to tell that she was apprehensive.

"After I was changed into a vampire I was not very nice person," Rose told her. "I was angry and upset over having my human life taken from me. I do think you deserve to know all of our stories, but I'll save that for another time. Let's just say I took a lot of my anger and resentment out on Edward. I wasn't shy about throwing Edwards's loneliness back at him. Making him feel miserable made me feel just a tiny bit better."

Bella glared at Rose. I could see from Rose's thoughts the angry set of Bella's brow and hear the increase in her heartbeat.

"Bella, I can see that what I said is making you angry, and it should. I was bitch…hell, I was much worse. My words and actions back then were despicable." Rose dropped her head in shame. She could not look Bella in eye as she said the next part. "Although he says otherwise, I firmly believe Edward left the family in large part due to my cruel treatment of him. The day he left I was especially hurtful. I had made sure that there was enough lust pouring off Emmett and I that the other two couples would need to go off and relieve their own sexual tension. Then I made sure my thoughts were very graphic and lewd, before mentally telling Edward he should just take his sad, lonely ass and leave so we could all enjoy ourselves."

The growing tears in Bella's eyes overflowed as she started to cry. Esme rushed over to her and pulled her into a hug. The devastated look on Bella's face, coupled with the memory of those times was excruciating. My grip on my chaired tightened until I pulverize the wood into dust.

" _Edward, I have her. You stay put._ " Esme said in her thoughts as she attempted to soothe Bella.

"Why?" Bella asked repeatedly between sobs.

Carlisle placed a hand on my shoulder to ease my own trembling. " _I never knew it was so bad for you, son. I am so sorry._ " Carlisle thought.

After a couple of long seconds, Rose finally continued speaking. "Bella, I am no longer that person. After Edward left, I directed my anger and growing guilt towards other family members. Eventually, Esme gave me an ultimatum. Either I reform my ways or leave. After some much needed soul searching, I eventually let go of my hate and anger. I then wanted to make amends for my decades of being a bitch. Edward wasn't coming back, so when Alice told me she saw you quitting your dance lessons, I saw it as an opportunity to help you out, and by extension, Edward as well. I loved dancing when I was human, and I love it even more now. It has always made me feel powerful and graceful. I wanted to give you some of that, so I arranged to meet with you and offer up the chance to try another dance school. One that I knew had the best teachers and attitude. So you did meet me. I am flattered that you thought I was beautiful enough for you to honor me in your coloring books. Although, right now you probably wished you hadn't."

Rose got up and kneeled in front of Bella and Esme. "Bella, Edward has been gracious enough to forgive me for the way I treated him. As his mate, I can't expect you to just be able to put aside the hurt I caused him. I just hope that someday you can forgive me too, because I really want us to be friends."

Bella wiped away another stray tear. "Rose, I hate that Edward has been hurt by anybody. I haven't known Edward very long, but it doesn't surprise me that he is very forgiving. I know he loves you all very much. I guess what I am trying to say, is that if Edward has forgiven you, that is what's important to me." Bella gave Rose a soft smile. "I would like us to be friends."

Rose leaned in and gave Bella a hug and whispered her thanks. After they pulled apart, Rose settled back in her chair.

"Actually, I should be thanking you," Bella told Rose. "I did enjoy my dance lessons at the new school. Although I no longer study it, I still enjoy dancing, especially with Edward." Bella blushed at her admission.

"Well, I'm very glad." Rose replied.

"Since we are confessing our interference in your life, I have a few of my own," Esme told Bella. "Alice saw that you loved books, so Rose and I may have made some donations and pulled some strings to get a bookmobile for your neighborhood in Phoenix."

"I loved the bookmobile!" Bella exclaimed. "Every Tuesday, Mom and I would walk down to it and pick out a couple of books for the next week."

"And there were a couple of other things we did," Esme added. "But maybe it's best we just leave them unknown. We never knew you were Edward's mate, but we knew he felt very protective of you so we wanted to help in some small ways."

Bella took a sip of her drink. As a thought came to her she raised her eyebrow in suspicion. "Was your family responsible for sending my dad the invitation to the father-daughter dance in elementary school?"

"We were," Alice replied. "Does that upset you?"

"No. But it helps explain what happened." Bella paused briefly. "Over the years I received a few scholarships and grants for camps and workshops, was that your family as well?"

"It was," Esme answered this time. "But Bella, we never influenced your chances on achieving entrance to those programs. You did so on you own merit and talent. We just helped out on the logistics after the fact."

Bella nodded before reflecting some more on the conversation. "Alice, how much of the past few weeks have you seen in your visions?" she finally asked.

"A lot, but not everything," Alice simply replied. "Given Edward's gift of mind reading, I thought it best if I stayed away. You two needed to work through things on your own. Interference, even if it were accidental, would have changed some things. In the end, you both figured everything out on your own and in your own time."

Bella pulled on her bottom lip with her teeth as she looked sheepishly towards Alice. "Have you seen what the future holds for Edward and I?"

"I've had visions, yes." Alice answered with a sly smile, while in her thoughts she recited verses from _Hamlet_ in Gaelic. "Some I know will not come true. Others I hope will come true. Is there something you want to know?"

Bella thought for moment before shaking her head. "No. At least not today. I've had my fill of fortune telling for right now. I was just curious."

"Bella, are you upset over what you heard, or upset with our meddling?" Alice asked quietly.

Bella thought for a moment. "I don't like the idea that my life was not my own to live. However, It seems that Edward and I have been destined to meet. Is that fair to say?"

"It is, but not all my visions about you two were happy ones," Alice answered. "Plus, everyday decisions can change my visions…they're always in flux. Take for example when Edward decided to leave the family. I never saw that coming because he never contemplated it until he just did it. Any vision I had of our family, or him, or even you, changed after he did that. The future I had seen could never be recovered after that, as new visions came to me. I know Edward understands how erratic my gift can be because of his ability to read my thoughts, but I really don't think the rest of the family truly understands."

"But you had enough faith in them to engage in some meddling." Bella said a bit tersely.

"I did," Alice replied with sad smile. She understood Bella's point. Why interfere if the visions are unstable. "And my meddling has not always been successful." Alice glanced around at Rose and Esme to gauge their reaction. Alice buried her mistakes deep within her so even I had a problem seeing them. "Bella, the trap of my gift is that I can't see beyond a decision point. I can manipulate decisions somewhat, like when I directed Edward to go to Phoenix, but that causes things to get very hazy until he actually does the act or makes the decision. Until that point, I can only see fragments of dozens, sometimes even thousands of outcomes. Then afterwards, all new visions come to me and it starts all over again. Luckily, I have learned to filter the visions so I don't spend all my time viewing what the future could hold. If I allowed all of the visions to surface into my consciousness, I would barely be able to function."

Alice shook her head as she thought about what it must've been like during her human life. Without having the mental facilities vampirism granted her, it was no wonder her parents committed her to a mental institution. She wouldn't have had any way to shut off the constant stream of visions, and she probably couldn't differentiate the visions from reality, either. Alice was glad she couldn't remember that time of her existence, because it sounded like a living hell to her.

"I have also learned to test the strength of my visions by playing a little 'what if' with them. More certain visions rarely change when I try to figure out ways to manipulate them. I want you to know that I only step in and change things when I think it is truly safe to do so, or when the benefits will far outweigh any other outcome. I want all my family to know that."

Bella sighed as she looked over at my family. "I am not really upset over the meddling. I can see the benefits it had. Thank you for being my fairy god mothers." Bella told them all, before she looked directly at Alice. "However, I don't want to know anything about the visions you may have had before. I am happy with the way things have turned out. Obviously, if you see that something bad is going to happen, I want to be told, but no more fine tuning of my future. I want to experience and direct my life, even if portions of it seem to be driven by some supernatural calling."

Alice smiled at Bella before wrapping her in a hug. "I'm so glad this conversation turned out this way! You don't even want to know what could've happened."

Bella pulled away and gave Alice a reprimanding look.

"Sorry," Alice quipped. "Old habits die hard, you know."

The women all stood. Esme and Rose each gave Bella hug. I saw this as my signal that I could go back and fetch my mate. In a blink of an eye I was standing next to Bella, who jumped at my sudden presence.

"Are you okay, Love?" I asked.

"I think so, but I need to get some food in me, and then I would like to go listen to some music in your library, okay?" Bella's stomach grumbled causing Esme, Alice and Rose to all giggle.

"Yes, that is more than okay," I replied as I kissed her forehead.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_

 _ **Thank you, thank you, thank you! 235+ reviews! 10,600+ views! For some of the mega-authors out there in the fandom these numbers may be what a single chapter may do, but for me, I am amazed and humbled by your response to this story. Have a wonderful weekend!**_

 _ **-Chris**_


	44. Chapter 44

~ Forks, Washington - September 07, 2004 ~

"She's all ready to go, Edward!" Rose called out to me. She wiped her hands on a cloth before tossing me the keys to Bella's, SUV. "I stiffened the suspension as you asked and Emmett put new rubber all the way around."

"Plus, I put in a new stereo with a navigation unit," Emmett added with huge smile on his face.

"Thank you." I told them.

"You sure I can't come with you today?" Rose asked.

"No. But you can try her out when I get home." I replied before getting into the SUV.

As I pulled away from the house, I slipped a CD into the stereo that Emmett installed. It was new mix CD I created for Bella. As I listened to my new set of Bella inspired songs, I headed towards the police station. I had to drop off the title for the SUV to Charlie, and then Bella and I would be driving down to Seattle to pickup my new car. Even though I love cars, I was just excited about spending the day with Bella.

Since Saturday, I'd only able to spend a couple hours with her. On Sunday, I went over to have a talk with Charlie. After Bella learned about all the meddling she thought I should have a talk with Charlie about the mind reading. I was warned several times never to mention the meddling. She didn't think he would appreciate that. Overall Charlie took the whole mind reading better than I expected. He grumbled a bit about having his private thoughts being violated, but he was assuaged that I couldn't read Bella's thoughts. Charlie knew he rarely thought something he wouldn't just say, but he was glad his daughter's thoughts were protected. Surprisingly, he was more upset over Alice and Jasper's gifts.

Charlie saw Jasper's gift as invasive as it could be used for manipulation. He was in awe of Alice's gift until he realized that she could use her knowledge to influence people's lives to reach unnatural outcomes. I did my best to assure him that Alice and Jasper tempered any interference unless it was absolutely necessary, but he remained uncomfortable with their ability to misuse their talents. In the end, Bella told me it would just take time and familiarity for Charlie to be comfortable with them. As far as my gift, he pulled me aside and asked that I not reveal any personal thoughts he had to anyone else, including Bella. Since I told Charlie his thoughts were very quiet, he also wanted to know the realistic range of my gift for him. I was not offended by his reasoning that he wanted to know how to protect his mental ramblings from me.

On Monday, Labor Day, Bella and Charlie were invited to a cookout at Reverend Weber's house. Charlie wanted Bella to meet his daughter, Angela. She was seventeen and would be a junior this year like Bella and I. The Reverend had extended an invitation to my father to bring us as well, but the untimely presence of the sun kept us away. I was able to speak with Bella on the phone last night. I was glad to hear that Angela was friendly, although a bit reserved. Bella thought they both could become friends.

Today, however, I would have Bella all to myself until tonight. Tomorrow we started school, so I was happy to get some uninterrupted time with her before the craziness of high school began.

I pulled into the police station parking lot promptly at 7:00am. Today's timing worked out well. Charlie had an early shift and I wanted to get on the road so Bella and I wouldn't be in Seattle all day. As I walked in, Charlie was discussing insurance for the SUV with Bella. She wanted to help pay for it, but Charlie wanted her to save her money. He was sure she would want to buy new clothes and other incidentals that Charlie hadn't really budgeted for.

"Hello, Edward" Charlie smugly called out as a means to end their conversation. Bella shot him a terse look before shrugging her shoulders in defeat.

"Good morning," I greeted.

Bella bounced over to me with a brilliant smile. "Hi," she breathed. I wanted to lean down and kiss her, but I wanted to respect Charlie's wishes to keep our displays of affection to a minimum around him.

" _Is that the title, Edward?_ " Charlie said in his thoughts. To him, my gift was a bit novelty that he wanted to test.

"It is," I replied as I handed it to him.

" _Damn, that is freaky_ ," Charlie mentally commented.

"It's all signed and ready to go. I also signed the odometer statement and the bill of sale. All you need to do is send in the vehicle title application and Bella is all set." I told him. "Rose and Emmett checked out the vehicle yesterday and made some tweaks, so it's better than new."

"Sounds good. Thank you, Edward." Charlie answered. " _I will stop by the bank when it opens so we can settle up later tonight._ " Charlie said mentally.

I gave him a quick nod. He didn't want Bella to know how much he was buying the vehicle for, mainly because I was selling it to him for so little.

" _I can see this gift of yours can have its benefits_ ," Charlie thought. " _You can have entire conversations, although one-sided, without anyone being the wiser._ "

I just smiled and turned towards Bella.

"You all set?" I asked her.

"I am!" She told me before grabbing her purse and kissing Charlie on the cheek. "I'll see you, Dad. Be safe."

"I always am," Charlie replied. "Take care driving, Bells…take breaks, okay? And, no later than 10:00pm. Tomorrow's the first day of school."

"Okay, Dad." Bella answered.

"I'll take good care of her," I told Charlie.

" _I'm sure you will_ ," Charlie thought.

Once outside I handed Bella the keys. "They're officially all yours." I told her.

Bella nearly squealed as she cupped them in her hand. "Thank you, Edward. Really." She said before getting into the SUV.

Once we were strapped in, Bella started the vehicle. I spent a few minutes explaining some of the changes Rose and Emmett made. Soon we were on our way to Seattle. We ended up catching the only red light before we left Forks. At the light, Bella leaned over and pulled me into a kiss. Before things could get too heated, the car behind us beeped after the light turned green.

Bella blushed as she pulled away form the light. "Whew," She said with a sigh. "I needed that."

"So did I," I replied without hiding my smug grin.

* * *

About two and half hours later we had stopped off in Poulsbo for a quick breakfast for Bella. We were now back on the road, but this time I was behind the wheel as I was familiar with the locations of the two car dealers I wanted to visit.

"So what kind of cars are we looking at today?" Bella asked.

"Well, I had my eye on the new Mercedes SL65 AMG or possibly the BMW 645Ci." I told her.

Bella snorted. "You know, I have no idea what any of that means," she said in an amused voice. "I don't speak car and driver."

"Sorry," I replied sheepishly. "I already have a pretty fancy car, my Aston Martin." Bella sighed at the mention of my pride and joy. She saw it for the first time after she sat through Alice's confessional the other day. She thought is was very sexy and she understood why I did not want to drive it to school. "So, I'm looking for something of an everyday driver."

"A 'beamer and a 'benz, somehow they don't sound very everyday driver-ish." Bella teased. "Tell me, are you a car snob, Edward."

"Guilty as charged," I said proudly with a wink. "You know, you own a 'benz now, so you're just as much of a snob as I am."

"Yeah," Bella sighed as she looked around the vehicle. "So just how much of a 'I mated on your daughter' discount did you give my Dad on this?"

"I am bound to secrecy. Lets just say, I hope your Dad never looks up the blue-book value on this baby."

Bella gave me a sideways glance and huffed. "Well, I really do appreciate it, Edward. I was dreading being driven around by Dad in the cruiser. So tell me about these cars. Educate me."

"Well, the 'benz is a little two-seater convertible with a retraceable hard top. The 'beamer is two-door coupe. Both are fast, yet safe, and both are Rosalie approved."

I saw a blush creep up on Bella's cheeks before she looked away from me, shaking her head slightly.

"What's that blush for?" I asked.

"Do you really want to know?" She asked back.

"Of, course. I always want to know what you're thinking." I told her. "However, when you blush, that tells me its something I really want to know!"

Bella glanced over to me before speaking very fast and very quietly, however it was easy for me to pick out each word. "I-was-kind-of-hoping-you'd-get-something-with-a-backseat."

I kept my features as normal as I could despite the shock and excitement I felt over what I just heard, and the implications I hoped she meant by her statement. However, I decided to have a little fun with her. "And just why would you want me to have a back seat?" I asked in serious tone.

"You really don't know?" She asked in exasperation.

"No, sorry," I replied flatly.

"What do you think a boy and girl can do in the backseat of a car when they are alone…parked…together…most likely at night?" She said is a soft seductive voice. I finally let her see the surprise on my face, because given the topic and her sexy voice, I could no longer hide it. "You see it's kind of something I've been wanting to do. Sort of like a right-of-passage."

Her confession elicited some torturous stirrings below my waist. The image of Bella laid out before me, or better yet, straddling me in the backseat of a car was now burned into my brain. I felt the steering wheel start to give under the pressure of my hands. I slowly peeled my fingers away before I damaged Bella's vehicle.

I glanced over to find Bella looking down at my lap before snapping her eyes back up to mine revealing a not-so innocent smile. I swallowed thickly before clearing my voice. "Those two cars will not do." I said gruffly. "But, I have an idea."

* * *

An hour and half later we pulled into the dealership in Lynnwood.

"A Jaguar? Really?" Bella asked in a surprised tone that I couldn't quite decipher.

"What? I have my standards and apparently so do you." I said smugly as Bella rolled her eyes. "Besides, I always wanted to own a jag, I've just never gotten around to it, until today."

A few minutes later Bella and were seated in a silver S-Type R. Bella glanced back towards the backseat and giggled.

I looked back as well and smiled. "No too big, not too small. I think this will do." I quipped.

An hour later a very happy sales associate handed me the keys. "Enjoy your vehicle, Mr. and Mrs. Cullen," he said. Bella and I both smiled at each other, neither of us bothering to correct him.

* * *

Just like when I picked Bella up from the airport, we took the ferry home. This time, I kept Bella wrapped in my arms as we sailed across the Puget Sound. After the ferry, I followed Bella back to Forks. We stopped once so she could grab lunch and a coffee. During the drive, I also spoke to Rose about the new car. She was excited to finally get her hands on a Jaguar. I was tempted to tell her that I was excited to get my hands on Bella while in my Jaguar, but that would have been highly inappropriate.

At just about 3:00pm we pulled up to my family's house. Before I even had the car in park, Rose was at my door opening it like a valet would, so I tossed her the keys.

"Have at it," I told her. "But I need it for school tomorrow." Rose stuck out her tongue at me, before she drove it back to the garage.

I walked over to Bella as she typed out a text message on her phone. She looked up at me and smiled. "Dad just sent me a message. He's going to work the night shift tonight. Mark is still getting headaches so Dad told him to rest." Just as she finished, Bella yawned. I'd forgotten that today would've been a very long day for her.

"Hey, how about we head back to your place?" I asked. "I'll stay for a bit then I'll head home."

Bella nodded. "I like the sound of that." She said as she stifled another yawn.

Twenty minutes later we pulled up to Bella's house. Once inside we settled on the couch and watched a movie. Afterwards, Bella heated up some leftovers for her dinner. While she ate, I told her about my many first days at my numerous high schools.

"That has to suck having to repeat high school over and over." She observed between bites.

"It does, but the earlier we start out, the longer we can stay in one place. However, this time I am actually looking forward to it, thanks to you."

Bella dropped her fork on her plate and looked up at me with a concerned look. "What about me, Edward. I'm going to be changing, getting older. How is that going to work for us?"

"I'm not avoiding the question, but are you finished with dinner?" I asked her.

"Yeah," she said pushing the dish away from her.

"Let's get this cleaned up and get you ready for bed, then we can discuss it, if you want. Okay?"

Bella nodded and I took her dish to the sink. After the water had become warm, I sped through washing everything and I was done with the dishes in just a few seconds.

"Impressive!" Bella quipped. "Remind me to enlist your help after Thanksgiving dinner."

"Anytime," I tell her. "Let go upstairs." I watched as Bella ascended the steps. "I'll wait down here. When you're ready, call down."

"You can come up, Edward I trust you."

"It's me I don't trust, so not tonight. I'll wait here." I told her before she continued going up.

I spent the next several minutes preparing for this conversation. For me it would not be difficult. I knew what I wanted. The tough part for me was not knowing Bella's possible reaction.

Ten minutes later, Bella called down. "I'm ready."

Once I reached the top of the steps, I found Bella seated on her bed, up against the headboard. She tapped the spot next to her, which I took immediately.

"So let's talk," she said. "How do you see this working between us if I am aging and you're not?"

I took Bella's hand in mine and caressed her silky skin. "I really only see two options, Bella. The first is for you to become like me…a vampire. The second is that you stay human and we stay together until your death." I hated to be blunt, but there was no reason to draw this out.

"I see," Bella replied. "I guess I knew that those were the options, but I just wanted to hear it from you. If I ask you a question do you promise to answer it honestly and not try to deflect it?"

"Of course, Love. This is a topic that demands nothing less than the truth." I replied.

"What do you want, Edward? Do you want me to become like you?" She asked with a slight tremble to her voice.

I leaned down and turned Bella's head so I could see her eyes. I knew this conversation would be difficult for her. I wanted to see the emotions that accompanied her shaky voice.

"Bella, I am not deflecting when I say that I will honestly, and without regret, accept either decision. However, my preferred choice would be for you to join me in immortality." I paused to gauge her reaction, which was not much at all. She just looked intently at me, so I continued. "One lifetime with you...hell, a thousand lifetimes will not be enough for me, Bella. But there is no reason to decide anything right now. You have a chance that none of my family was given, and that's to choose your own destiny. Whether its one lifetime or a thousand, I will be here just the same."

I leaned in and placed a tender kiss on Bella's lips. When I pulled away she gave me a soft smile.

"Thank you for telling me what you want, and what my options are. I want to think this over for a while. I'm not ready to make any decision, but I needed to know where you stood." Bella glanced at the clock before she snuggled against my chest. "What time do you have to leave?"

"No set time. I'm going to meet the family later to go hunting. The first day of school always tests my nerves, so I wanted make sure I am well fed." I told her.

Bella nodded. "Then stay for a while, okay. If I fall asleep, just stay for a bit." She said quietly. "I know you have to hunt, but could you come back afterwards. I don't know why, but I need to know that you're close."

"Sure, as long as you won't think its creepy, or that I'm some kind of weird stalker sneaking in to watch you sleep."

"It is only creepy or stalker-ish if you're not invited…and I'm inviting you." Bella glanced around the room. "You can come in through the window if you want. Use your gift and Charlie will never know."

"Okay. Now you relax." I whispered as I held her close to me.

After a few minutes Bella looked at me with unshed tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry I'm being so needy right now. It's just…hearing you say you want me to be like you…that you want me forever…I can't explain other than I just need you to stay tonight and be here." Bella paused and looked at me as if she was seeing into my soul. It was intense and loving. "This need for connection, is that a mating thing?"

"For a vampire, yes. I crave you Bella in every way. Your touch. Your voice. Your love. Your body. It's part of who I am now. I will never exist without you. Even though you're a human, if you're feeling something similar, then I would say, 'yes it is a mating thing'. And, Bella…I would never deny you that connection, as I need it too."

Bella and I leaned into one another and kissed. It was slow and needy. It was wonderful. With a sigh she pulled way and rested her head on my chest. "I love you, Edward." She said softy as she pressed herself into me.

"I love you too, sweet girl. Now relax and get some sleep." I replied. It was the first time I truly felt like our mating was reciprocal. As she drifted off to sleep, I could feel her heat and her love seep into me and make me whole. Each beat of her heart pulsed through me like the sound of a drum. I felt pure joy, and I vowed to cherish it, whether Bella decided on one lifetime or forever.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_

 _ **I am a car guy and I have owned many fast, expensive, and crappy cars. Given this, I never understood why in canon Edward drove a Volvo as his daily driver! I have nothing against the Volvo brand. I've owned one and it was good, but also kind of boring. I owned the exact make, model, year, and color Edward chose in this chapter. The 2015 Jaguar S-Type R was a rocket and about as close as you could get to a refined, elegant 4-door race car that model year. I miss that vehicle greatly! Sadly it was just too expensive to maintain after the warranty was over.**_

 _ **Thank you again for the tremendous response to this story! One more chapter coming this evening...and it's a good one! One of my favorites of the story :)**_

 _ **-Chris**_


	45. Chapter 45

~ Forks, Washington - September 08, 2004 ~

I pulled the Jaguar into the Forks High School parking lot right next to Bella's SUV. She gave me a smile and a wave before we both exited our vehicles and sauntered over to one another.

"Hi, stranger. Fancy meeting you here." Bella teased.

"Hello, Love." I greeted her as I kissed her forehead.

"I'm sorry again about being so needy last night, and thank you for the t-shirt." She told me.

"Bella, you have nothing to be sorry about. There will be times when we just need one another. I've seen the same behavior with my family and other mated couples. It's not always logical or rational, it's just part of our bond. And I am glad you liked the t-shirt." Before heading out on my hunt, I left the t-shirt I had been wearing with Bella. When I arrived back from the hunt a couple hours later, I found Bella sound asleep wearing it.

"You know I'm keeping it right? Well, at least until you give me a new one." She reached out and touched the current shirt I was wearing. "I like this one, maybe you can leave it as a present for me."

"I see a trend happening already. We'll have to come up with some kind of exchange program. I hardly think it's fair that you get something of mine without reciprocating." I leaned down so that I could whisper in her ear. "I want something that has been up against your skin as well."

Bella blushed and pushed me away. "Stop! I need to be cool and composed today, and you're making me anything but that."

I shrugged and smiled. It seemed I was always off balance near her so it was nice to know I could return the favor.

Rose pulled into the lot and parked next to us, with Emmett, Jasper and Alice in tow. My four siblings got out and looked wearily at the brick building in front of us.

"Tell me again why we just don't say that we're home schooled." Jasper commented. For both of us, being around large groups of angst-riddled teenagers was tortuous.

"Come on, Jaz. It'll be fun here. I'm even going to join clubs with Bella this time!" Alice said excitedly.

"Should I be worried?" Bella asked me knowing everyone could hear her.

"Oh, I'd be worried!" Emmett's voice boomed through the parking lot. "Aly-cat here has your whole social calendar already filled up."

"I do not!" Alice admonished him. "Thursdays and every other Mondays are open." Unfortunately, I could see from her thoughts that she was serious. We all ended up looking at Alice. "What?" She asked, unaware that she had said anything odd.

The parking lot was starting to fill and the other students were staring at us. Six new students coming into such a small student body was big news. Adding in the rumors that one of them was the Chief of Police's estranged daughter, and that the others were the adoptive children of the new hottie doctor at Forks General, we were all huge news this year. Two girls in the growing crowd, Jessica and Lauren, were being especially annoying with their thoughts.

"Let's get inside and get our schedules." I told everyone as I nodded to the group of students gawking at us.

Bella reached out and took my hand. "Is this okay?" She asked as she lifted our joined hands.

"Yes, more than okay." I replied, smiling and reveling in her touch.

"Good." Bella glanced back over her shoulder to where Jessica and Lauren were standing. "I didn't like how that one girl was looking at you. I thought I better stake my claim up front before the skanks here descend upon you."

"You know there is nothing to worry about. You are the only one I am interested in."

"Oh, I know." Bella replied as she leaned into me playfully before standing straight and walking with a purpose. "But I've known lots of girls like them down in Phoenix. The best way to deal with the queen bees of the school is to remove their stinger upfront. Of course, one or both of them will try to challenge your sisters or me. It will be their test to see if we are a threat, an asset, or not worth their time. However, me being the Chief's daughter, they will be inclined to want me as part of their clique. What they will fail to realize is that I don't give a damn about their position in the social hierarchy or the prestige of being in their group. I don't make a lot of deep friendships on purpose. I want to be around people who make me a better person, and in return, I hope that I make them better as well. As I see it, I am ahead of the game here in Forks. I already have you and your family, besides that I will befriend who I want, and not who the queen bees assign me to."

I stopped walking and just stared at Bella.

"What? Did I say something wrong?" She asked.

"Wrong? No, Love. I am just in awe over you. Most teenagers are so preoccupied with playing the popularity game that they never see themselves clearly. They never see their worth as a friend or companion. It's just…you're wise beyond your years."

"Thank you," Bella replied with a slight blush. "You don't have Charlie Swan as a dad and not pick up a few things. He always wanted me to make smart decisions about my friends. He always said that having one really good friend is better than having a dozen fair-weather ones. I guess that always stayed with me."

A couple of minutes later we both caught up with my family just inside the school's main office, where Mrs. Cope was frantically trying to deal with six new students. She stammered her way through handing out our class assignments. Rose and Emmett were seniors so their classes were different than ours. Much to Bella's surprise she shared every class with Alice, Jasper, or myself. Little did Bella know that Jasper had accessed the school's student scheduling system and arranged for us to be together. Part of this came down to safety. Jasper still struggled with human blood, and high school was a daily minefield in that regard. He felt better having at least Alice or I with him throughout the day. Although as a surprise, he opted to arrange the schedule so that he and Bella shared history together without Alice or I.

"Hey, babe, we have four classes together. What are the chances of that!" Emmett said to Rose who just rolled her eyes.

Bella grabbed my schedule sheet and compared it to hers. "Hey, we have three classes together! Math, honors English, and biology." Bella said with a big smile. Bella looked over everyone else's schedules. "Wow! We all have honors English together and math. Alice and I have gym together and a study hall. Jasper and I have honors history together. Plus we all have lunch together." Bella looked over the schedules and back to us with a suspicious look. "Did you arrange this, Edward?"

"Me? Not exactly, but I may have had some input." I told her with a wink.

Alice wrapped an arm around Bella led her down the hallway. "Bella, we always figure out a way to get our classes to overlap, at least in high school. Jasper's job is much easier now that everything is computerized. Trust me, you'll get used to it."

Bella shook her head as the first bell rang out through the hallways. Without too much of a surprise Bella also realized that all of our lockers were right next to one another. I told her it was just another perk of having Jasper tweak the schedule for us all.

* * *

Our first class was honors English, which for Forks High School meant a split between classic literature and creative writing. As we entered, Bella and I took seats by the far wall. Jasper and Alice sat behind us. As the students filed in, our presence was immediately noticed. Bella bore the attention well, as she greeted the occasional brave student. Bella's face lit up when a brown haired girl entered the classroom.

"Hi Bella!" The girl said as she approached us. She was a bit intimidated by the sight of my family, but she continued towards us.

"Angela, it's good to see you! Come sit next to me." Bella called out to her.

Bella introduced us all to Angel Webber. She had heard about us from her father, who had already met Carlisle, and her grandmother, Betty whom I knew from the Police station. She thought it was very admirable for Carlisle and Esme to adopt us all.

A moment later, one of the girls from this morning, Jessica entered. She was chatting with a boy, Mike. Jessica saw Angela sitting next to Bella so she bounced over to meet the new kids.

"Angela, I see you have some new friends," Jessica said as she sized us all up.

"Yes," Angela said. She was uncomfortable with being forced to do introductions, but she made them anyway. "Jessica Stanley and Mike Newton, I would like you to meet Bella Swan…Edward and Alice Cullen…and Jasper Hale." Angela paused and looked to Alice. "Did I get everyone's name right?" She asked timidly.

"You did!" Alice said in a cheerful voice. "It's nice to meet you two." Alice answered for the group.

It was a good thing Angela did not address me because I was staving off the thoughts of Jessica and Mike. Jessica wanted to know what a hottie like me could see in Bella. Whereas, Mike was fixated on my Bella. His thoughts quickly jumped from thinking she was pretty, to him wondering what she would look like naked. I could feel a low growl start in my throat as I flexed my hands into fists.

" _Calm down, Edward,_ " Jasper said in his thoughts. " _Any louder and the humans will hear._ "

I could feel the telltale shift in my emotions that signaled Jasper flexing his gift in an attempt to calm me. Jealousy was not an emotion I was used to dealing with. I knew from previous school stints the attention my sisters received from the male students. Jasper and Emmett dealt with it in different ways. Emmett frightened most males, so they ogled Rose from afar. He rarely asked what the other students thought of him or Rose. He knew she was gorgeous and he actually loved it when she would take matters into her own hands and tell any want-to-be alpha males they needed to back off. Jasper, on the other hand, was calculating in his jealousy. He could sense when another male lusted after Alice. Jasper would redirect the urge to rip apart the offender by flooding them with feelings of inadequacy and impotence. I knew I needed to find a way to deal with this new phenomenon before I serious hurt someone.

Before Mike could continue his mental perversions of my Bella, the teacher arrived and called the class to order. Forty-five minutes later the class ended. As soon as the bell rang, Bella turned to me and gave me a concerned look.

"Are you okay?"

"I may have to kill him," I said softly as my gaze bored holes into the back of Mike Newton's head.

Bella glanced over to Mike who was just now leaving the classroom.

"Let me guess, his thoughts about me weren't very pure?" Bella batted her eyes and flashed a flirty smiled as she tried to diffuse my bad attitude.

"Quite the opposite of pure," I replied.

She took my hand and led me out of the classroom.

"Normally I would say his thoughts are harmless, but I guess for you they aren't, huh." Bella gave me a sad smile. "Was Jessica just as bad?"

"Yes. Despite their claimed attraction for one another, each of them had no problem fantasizing about you and I."

I watched as Bella's countenance darkened. "Maybe you'll have to kill both of them," Bella said quietly before muttering "bitch" under her breath.

Jasper was waiting for Bella outside of their history classroom.

" _Tough day so far?_ " Jasper asked in his thoughts. I gave him a slight nod. " _I can tell. You both are oozing anger and jealously, but also a tremendous amount of love for one another. I am happy for you, at least for that last part. You deserve it. I'll watch our for her._ "

I gave Jasper another nod.

"I'll see you in math," Bella said as gave my hand a squeeze before entering the room with Jasper.

"Come on. Let's go learn Spanish…again." Alice quipped.

* * *

During our Spanish class, I followed what was happening in Bella and Jasper's history class. The other girl from the parking lot, Lauren Mallory, introduced herself to Bella and Jasper. So did a geeky looking boy named Eric. His thoughts about my mate were not as bad as Mike Newton's, but still put me on edge. Lauren's main interest was to let Bella know, and to a certain extent, Jasper, that she was the social head of their class. Bella and Jasper greeted her, but then continued their private discussion.

About halfway through the class, Bella's teacher got called down to the office. I scanned the minds of the staff. Her teacher was about to find out his car was backed into by a delivery truck. As soon as the teacher left the room, Lauren went over to speak to Jasper and Bella. Lauren didn't like that Jasper and Bella seemed largely unimpressed with her, so she was going to use this class break to do some digging and push a few buttons. Bella's initial assessment that either Lauren or Jessica would attempt to test her was correct.

"So Jasper, the rumor mill has it your family moved here from the east coast?" She asked.

"That's correct," Jasper replied in his smooth southern drawl. He didn't offer up any more information, which annoyed Lauren.

"And Bella, you came up from Phoenix?" Lauren asked.

"That's is also correct," Bella's answer mimicked Jasper's. A flash of anger went through Lauren over Bella's response.

"From what I heard it was quite sudden too?" Lauren added. "Hmm, makes me wonder if you got kicked out or something." Lauren faked a laugh so it would seem that she was kidding.

From Lauren's vantage point I saw Bell just shrug in response. By this point the entire class was listening their exchange.

"And what, you've been here less than a week and you're already dating Jasper's brother? Wow! You work fast!" Lauren said, before adding under her breath, but still loud enough for most to hear, "or maybe it's your fast ways that got you sent up here."

Bella locked eyes with Lauren and didn't waiver, which unnerved Lauren. Most of the girls backed down when confronted by Lauren.

"What can I say, Laura," Bella snarked back, raising her brow in defiance for calling Lauren by the wrong name. "When I see a good thing I go after it. And believe me, Edward is a good thing. Plus, from what I've seen so far," Bella paused to look up and down Lauren's profile, "Edward wouldn't have found what he was looking for from the existing Forks student body. He has very discerning tastes."

Before Lauren could retort, their teacher returned and class resumed. Lauren sat and stewed over Bella, but she decided to bide her time before she would approach her again.

Alice nudged my arm to break me out of my thoughts. "What's got you smiling? Something to do with Bella?" She asked, even though she was fully aware of what was going on.

I nodded. "Yeah, she just removed the stinger from a queen bee." I told her.

Alice thought about my comment for a moment before thinking, " _Good for her!_ "

* * *

As Spanish wrapped up, I wanted to be outside Bella's classroom waiting for her. I knew she was brave and strong, that was evident with how she stood up to Lauren. I didn't want to undermine that, but I wanted her to know I appreciated and supported her. So with five minutes left in class I raised my hand.

"Yes, Mr. Cullen?" The teacher asked.

"¿Puedo ir al baño?" I replied, asking if I could use the bathroom.

"Since you asked in Spanish, yes you may," she answered back with a smile. I quickly gathered my books and left the classroom.

Thirty-seconds later I was standing outside of Bella's room. In a low whisper, I let Jasper know I was waiting for her and that I was willing to help with Lauren anyway she saw fit. Jasper leaned over and whispered my message to Bella. I could see from his thoughts that she first blushed a little, before a sly smile graced her beautiful face.

Two minutes later the bell rang and students flooded the hallway. Lauren spotted me as she left the classroom. She approached with a determined look on her face and malice in her thoughts.

"You're Edward Cullen, right?" She asked.

I nodded as I kept a lookout for Bella. When she exited the classroom she came to stand right behind Lauren.

"You know, I can see why Bella threw herself at you so quickly. You're hot! You could do so much better than her, you know." Lauren purred.

"Actually," I replied loud enough for most of the hallway to hear. "I was the one who threw myself at her. Now if you will excuse me." I pushed by Lauren. In a step I reached Bella, cupped her cheeks with my hands, and I kissed her deeply. Bella immediately got into the spirit of the kiss and ran her fingers into my hair. After a few seconds the students around us started to clap their hands and whistle. I reluctantly pulled away from a breathless Bella and gave her a quick wink, before I turned back towards a very stunned Lauren Mallory. "Oh, and you're wrong. I could never do better than Bella. She's sexy, intelligent, and compassionate…I've never met anyone like her. She's amazing." I turned back towards Bella and took her hand. "You ready for math, Love?"

Bella smiled brightly back at me and nodded. Once we had turned the corner, she broke out into a fit of giggles. "Oh my god! The look on her face when you kissed me was priceless!" Bella took a couple of deep breaths before nudging me in the shoulder. "You said some really sweet things back there, thank you."

"I only spoke the truth." I replied sincerely as we caught up to Alice and Jasper.

"You should know that by lunch, pretty much the entire junior class will know what happened between you two and Lauren. I don't see her bothering either one of you for a while." Alice said a bit smugly.

"Good, I'm glad," Bella replied. "I really hate the drama."

* * *

Math was uneventful. The thoughts of the other students only occasionally drifted to my family or Bella. After math we split up. Alice and Bella went off to study hall while Jasper and I headed to gym. In gym, Coach Clapp, went over the rules we were required to follow before allowing the students to break out the basketballs. Jasper and I stood off to the side and chatted while we casually passed a ball between the two of us.

"Edward, I just wanted to tell you how terrific it is to feel the joy and love flowing out of you, despite the occasional flash of anger or jealousy. I am glad it has been working out between you and Bella."

"Thank you. I knew that the loneliness and frustrations I had felt before had to be taxing on you. I'm glad that I can send some positive vibes your way for a change."

Before we could continue, Mike Newton came over to Jasper and I. Without any warning, except that he had been mentally going over his scheme for the past couple of minutes, Mike threw the basketball at me. "Hey, Cullen...think fast! He cried.

Without breaking eye contact with Jasper, I caught the ball in one hand and tossed it thirty feet over my shoulder, where it swished through the far basketball rim.

" _Nothing but net, brother,_ " Jasper said mentally as he gave me a quick wink. The gang of guys Mike was hanging around with all stood mimicking Newton's astonished, gaping look. I motioned for jasper to toss me the ball we had been playing with, before I turned towards Mike sporting a devilish smile.

"Hey, Newton…think fast!" I said before tossing the ball at him. I only used a small fraction of my vampire strength, but the ball struck Mike in the abdomen with the force of a sledgehammer, sending him careening backwards ten feet. I watched with great satisfaction as Newton flopped around on the floor attempting to recover his breath.

"Oh, brother! I can see this is going to be a fun year!" Jasper said with a hearty laugh.

* * *

After gym, Jasper and I met the girls outside the lunchroom. As Bella slipped her hand into mine, I felt like I was whole again. Unsurprising, Jasper's thoughts and feelings echoed mine. Inside the lunchroom, Rose and Emmett had already taken possession of a table off to the side and were waiting. Dozens of eyes followed us across the room and watched as we sat down.

"We're quite the point of interest," I told my family as I glanced back towards the other students.

"Luckily, that passes after a few days," Rose said with a sigh. "Emmett nearly killed some poor kid today for coming on to me."

"The little shit touched you!" Emmett growled. "Besides, I stopped before I broke anything."

"So, its natural to feel this possessive and protective?" Bella asked as she side-eyed two sophomore girls that walked past obviously checking me out.

"Oh, yeah," Alice answered. "It's a mating thing. I would like to say it gets better, but it doesn't."

"But after a few set-downs," Rose added, "most of the student body gets the hint."

"True," Emmett continued. "Except for Edward here. His good looks always seem to get the girls hot-n-bothered." I shot Emmett a look that said "shut-up", but he kept going. "There are always one or two chicks that just don't take 'no' for an answer."

"Terrific," Bella said sarcastically while still glaring at the sophomore girls.

"If it's any consolation, Bella, Edward is getting it much worse than you." Jasper told her. "I see a glimpse of it with their feelings, but Edward hears their thoughts." He paused and looked around the room taking quick note of some of the males. "And right know, most of the male student population is lusting after all three of you."

Bella looked at me and raised her eyebrows, asking me to confirm Jasper's statement. "Yeah, it's been a rough morning," I replied with a sad smile.

* * *

Right before lunch ended, the girl's left so Bella could have a few human moments before our biology class. Emmett took our mates' absence to talk strategy.

"So how's everyone handling our arrival? Anyone connect any dots that they shouldn't?"

"No," I answered. "Bella has been attracting a lot of attention, but the topic detour seems to be that we're all coupled-up."

Emmett smirked. "It feels good, doesn't it?" He asked. "Despite wanting to kill some of these fuckers for coveting our women, it feels good to know they will never have them?"

"Yeah, it kind of does." I replied honestly. Emmett slapped me on the back and we both laughed as we headed out of the lunchroom.

About halfway to biology, I let out a growl over Mike Newton's thoughts. Apparently, he had biology with us and he was currently asking Bella if she would be his lab partner.

Once I had reached the room, I decided to stay outside. I wanted nothing more than to charge in and claim what was mine, but a small voice told me to let Bella fight this battle on her own.

"So, Bella," Mike stammered. "I was wondering if you want to be lab partners?"

"I don't think so," Bella said without hesitation. Mike stood next to her. It was clear he wasn't going to give up easily.

As Mike reached for the stool next to Bella, she dropped her bag on top of it.

"That seat is taken." Bella said sternly. I could see her inch away before Mike reached out and grabbed her hand. I saw red as Mike wondered if the unseen parts of her body were as soft as her hand.

"Come on, don't be like that." Mike said in a smooth voice. "Give me a chance."

Bella glared down at his hand before looking up at Mike with an odd smile. An instant later Bella flipped her hand around and grabbed Mike by the hand and bent back his wrist. She kept the pressure on his wrist and pushed him unwillingly to ground. Sharp pain shot up Mike's arm to his shoulder. Bella still held onto his wrist and bent it backwards further until Mike yelped in pain. The other males in the classroom winced and gawked as they witnessed my mate in action. The females looked on in admiration and awe.

"If you ever touch me again without my permission, I will make sure you never father a child!" Bella spat at Mike while she tweaked his wrist backwards again. "Do I make myself clear?" Mike nodded as the sharp pain in his wrist and arm caused his body to shake. "Good!" Bella released his wrist and sat down on her stool. She looked smug.

I casually entered the class and sidestepped past a still reeling Mike Newton. I glanced down at Mike before giving Bella a cocky smile. "Did I miss anything?" I asked.

Bella shook her head before pulling her bag from my stool. "Nope," she replied in a voice loud enough for the other students to hear. "I was just reminding Mike that I was daughter of cop who made sure she could handle herself."

I sat down next to her and marveled at the look confidence and power emanating from her. She was glorious and it made me love her even more.

* * *

The last period of the day was largely uneventful. Jasper and I had a free period while Bella and Alice had gym. I tensed a bit when Lauren and Jessica entered the gym as well, but they largely ignored Bella and Alice. However, I could tell from Lauren's thoughts that she was not pleased to see them both.

When the final bell rang, Jasper and I quickly made our way to the gym. Alice and Bella come out giggling and laughing as they bounced over to greet us.

"I'm glad that is over with," Bella said with a sigh.

"So am I because it means I get to do this," I replied before leaning down and kissing her quickly on the lips.

"Mmm, I like that," Bella cooed.

After a stop at our lockers, I walked Bella out to her car. Charlie wanted to take Bella out for a special dinner to celebrate her first day of school, so she was going straight to the station after school.

"I know you enjoy spending time with your dad, but I'm going to miss you tonight." I told her in between a couple of kisses.

"I'm going to miss you too." Bella leaned into my chest and breathed deeply. "Can you come by tonight after Charlie goes to sleep?"

I eagerly agreed. As much as I wanted to spend every moment of eternity with Bella, I knew she needed to have time with Charlie and her other friends, like Angela. I could share her, especially if I got to spend the night holding her.


	46. Chapter 46

~ Forks, Washington - September 13, 2004 ~

"Are you ready for this?" I asked Bella as we pulled up to her house.

"Sure, once I make sure I am presentable." Bella pulled down the visor and checked her appearance. After our rather amorous trip to the meadow, we were both a bit ruffled.

I scanned the minds of everyone in the backyard. Besides Charlie and my family, Reverend Weber, his wife, and Angela were waiting, along with Angela's grandmother, Betty. Unfortunately, Jacob Black was also waiting a bit too anxiously. He was with his father, Billy, as well as Harry Clearwater and his family, including Sue, Harry's wife, and his two kids, Leah and Seth. Billy was staring in disgust at my family, while Harry tried deflect his attention with tales of his latest fishing adventure.

"Well, I guess I am as ready as I will ever be. How do I look?" she asked. I quickly got out of the car and opened Bella's door. Offering my hand to her, I gave her sensual form quick glance from head to toe.

"You are perfect," I told her has she stood and faced the house. "Except for…" I paused and plucked piece of grass from the back of her hair. "..this!" I held the grass up for her to see which cause a beautiful blush to ghost her cheeks.

On queue, Alice skipped over to Charlie and let him know we had arrived. We paused for a moment to let Charlie get everyone in place before we entered the house. Bella looked around and I nodded towards the back of the house. It was time for Bella to do some playacting.

"Dad! We're home!" she called out.

"Out back, Bells! Come on out, I've got something to show you!" Charlie yelled back.

As we made our way out the back door, the assembled friends and family all cried out "Surprise!". Bella jumped and screeched in mock wonder, before leaving my side to playfully admonish and thank Charlie. As they hugged, I started singing Happy Birthday. For a split second my family was in shock over my joyful celebratory mood, before they joined, followed shortly by everyone else.

* * *

I watched as Bella made her way around to the guests and thanked them for celebrating her birthday. Jasper came over to join me and pointed to Emmett, although I already knew what he was going to do. Charlie was over at the grill tending the hamburgers and hotdogs. Emmett approached him and asked if Charlie could show him how to man the grill. Soon the two of them were chatting about sports while Emmett flipped the burgers. While Charlie took a sip of his beer, Emmett leaned in so only Charlie, and all of my family, could hear.

"So Chief, I'd like to volunteer my services on the shooting range. I'm dying to know what it feels like to get shot like Eddie did over there. What do you say?"

Before Emmett could even finish, Charlie spit out his mouthful of beer and started to cough. Rose marched over and slapped her mate upside the back of head.

"I'm so sorry, Chief Swan," Rose said while she placed herself between Emmett and the Charlie. "My idiot mate has no filter or discretion!"

She then pulled a smiling Emmett away, but before they got too far, Emmett turned around and said to Charlie, "Just think about it, ok?" Which elicited another smack by Rose.

After catching his breath, Charlie glanced over to me. " _That brother of yours is nuts!_ " he thought to me. " _Absolutely nuts!_ "

He had no idea.

* * *

Betty Weber had been watching Bella and I as we chatted with her granddaughter, Angela. As much as she wished I would have jumped at the chance to date her granddaughter, she had to admit to herself that Bella and I seemed to be made for each other. She also noticed that I had not had anything to eat the entire evening. She wrongfully assumed that I was waiting for everyone to have have their fill before I decided to eat, because as she thought to herself, " _that Edward is such a sweet gentleman, he would think nothing of waiting to make sure everyone else was satisfied._ " Grabbing a the last remaining hamburger before Jacob Black could reach for it, she walked over to where Bella, Angela and I were standing.

"Edward, sweetie, you must eat something," she said handing me the plate. "You don't have to be so polite as to go hungry while others…" She paused and glared over at Jacob Black, whom she felt was being quite the glutton after already having had two plates full of food. "..have not the sense to see that not everyone has had a chance to eat!" She turned to Bella and Angela before continuing. "Even at the station, he always refuses to steal one of the cookies or brownies I bring in until everyone else has had their fill."

"Grandma," Angela interrupted, "maybe he is not hungry."

"Hush," Betty replied with the authority that only a family matriarch could pull off without sounding rude. "He's a growing boy, of course he's hungry."

My family had been following our conversation with some amusement. They all had been smart enough to walk around with a partially empty plate or glass in their hand to keep up the illusion for the humans. I, on the other hand, had been so busy watching my beautiful Bella all evening that I forgot to do the same.

"Thank you, Betty," I replied as I picked up the burger from the plate. "I am a bit hungry." With the echo of Emmett, Jasper, and even Carlisle laughing across the yard, I took a bite of the hamburger and swallowed it whole, trying to keep as much of the foul taste from registering. I was not very successful.

"Good," Betty said while she pointed to the plate. "If you want anything else just let me know and I'll see what else I can find that the Black boy has not already scarfed down."

Having said her peace and performed her good deed, Betty turned and walked away. Angela mouthed "sorry" before following her grandmother as she tried to hide he embarrassment.

"Edward!" Bella said as she looked incredulously between the plate and mouth. "I though you couldn't eat food?"

With a flick of my wrist I sent the remaining burger flying two hundred yards into the woods. "I can't," I replied hoarsely before turning my head and acting like I was coughing, instead of purging the lump of human food from my esophagus. After I was sure I had removed as much of the food out of me as possible, I looked down at an amused Bella.

Before I could tease Bella about finding my distress humorous, Charlie called out that it was time for cake and ice cream.

* * *

Bella did not want gifts for her birthday, but that did stop the assembled guests from getting her something. In the short time we had to prepare for this day, I had warned my family that Bella was more into experiences than baubles and other materialistic goods. Esme and Carlisle decided to give a donation in her name to the county library. Rose, Alice, Emmett, and Jasper gifted her an enrollment in a ballroom dancing course that, along with myself, all of my other family members were going attend as well. For my Bella, I got her and I passes to a photography exhibit at the Photographic Center Northwest in Seattle. However, out of all of the gifts that she received that evening, it was Charlie's that I thought was the best of all, even if I might have been a bit biased. He gave Bella five curfew exception passes that she could use on any non-school night. The best part was, each offered a no-questions-asked condition. To some it may not seem like much, but he wanted to show Bella that he trusted her, and I guess by extension, me as well. Although, because I was privy to his thoughts, I knew he also had a couple more gifts for her that she would receive later that evening.

After thanking everyone for the gifts, Bella made her way over to me. I had been standing off to the side allowing myself to enjoy watching Bella being so carefree and happy. Before I could whisper to her my own personal birthday well-wishes, I heard the thoughts of someone in distress.

" _Unn..._ "

Quickly I found the source the groan. Harry Clearwater had slipped away into the house and way leaning against the family room wall. From his thoughts I could sense the intense pain he was feeling in his chest.

I grabbed Bella's elbow and started walking towards the house. "Bella," I said in a low tone but I knew my family would hear as well. "Harry Clearwater is having chest pains in the house." Her eyes dart up to the back door then over to Sue Clearwater.

" _I'm already on my way_ ," Carlisle said in his thoughts.

I paused Bella just outside the backdoor of the house. "Please go get Charlie and Sue as quietly as you can, ok?" Bella nodded and walked in their direction as Carlisle and I opened the door to go inside.

Entering the family room, we stopped and did our best to appraise Harry from where we were.

"Jasper, I'm going to need my medical bag and the portable AED defibrillator kit back at the house. Esme and Alice, keep the other guests outside if you can." Carlisle said in a tone too low for humans to hear.

"Mr. Clearwater?" I said softy we approached slowly.

Harry's eyes bolted open and glared at us in shock causing him even more distress so we stepped back.

"Wh…what do you want?" Harry asked shakily while trying to squash his fear of being alone while two vampires approached him.

"Mr. Clearwater, we mean you no harm, but I know you are hurting," I replied. "Carlisle is a doctor, will you let him help you?"

"No!" he gasped while shutting his eyes as another wave of pain set in. Unable to keep himself upright he slipped down the wall and slouched onto the floor.

Behind us Charlie, Sue, and Bella came into the room. Sue ran past us and kneeled next to Harry.

"Harry!" She cried, "What's wrong!" Harry tried to respond but the pain in his chest was too acute to talk through so he just pointed to his chest.

At that moment Billy Back wheeled himself in behind the group, he took one glance at his friend in pain, Sue sobbing at his side, along with Carlisle and I standing over him and started yelling. "What did you two bloodsuckers do to him! Get away you God-damned demons!" Billy pushed his wheelchair past Carlisle and I to act a shield between his friend and us.

Harry opened his eyes as the pain subsided a bit. He groaned at assembled audience before him including Billy's continued cursing my family's presence. "Billy!" he said hoarsely, "Will you shut up! It's my chest you idiot, not them!"

Sue begged her husband to remain calm as Billy spun around and took a moment to see that his friend was telling the truth. "I thought the rez doc gave you pills for that?" He asked.

Sue gasped and started to cry harder. From her thoughts I could read that she did not know Harry was having any health issues. From Harry's and Billy's thoughts I could see that for the past six months Harry has been having these reoccurring chest pains. Even though I could read it in his thoughts, everyone in the room could see from the look on Harry's face that he never went to see the doctor on the reservation.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Sue asked as she hugged her husband close. Harry winced in pain again as his only answer before Sue turned to Carlisle with tears in her eyes. "You! You are doctor aren't you or is that only pretend?"

"Yes, I am a doctor, Mrs. Clearwater. I have no need to pretend." Carlisle answered in his soothing bed side manner voice.

"Then help him!" She cried.

Billy and Harry both responded "No!" but for different reasons. Billy because of what Carlisle was. Harry because he was afraid of the answer he would receive.

"To hell with you both!" Sue spat back shooting them both daggers. Turning back to Carlisle he eyes softened. "Please, Dr. Cullen, ignore them and help my Harry?"

Carlisle nodded. "Of course, as long as the patient agrees. Mr. Clearwater?" Harry grunted in response, which earned him a disapproving look from Sue. "I'll take that as a yes. Mr. Clearwater I am going to approach you and take a look at your vitals. But before that, I think Mr. and Mrs. Clearwater need some privacy."

"I am not leaving!" Billy barked out.

"If I may?" Carlisle asked Sue, as it was clear to everyone in the room except for Billy, that Sue would be making the decision. Sue nodded. "I suggest that besides Mr. and Mrs. Clearwater, that Billy and Bella stay with me."

"Me?" Bella squeaked.

"Yes, I will need some assistance from someone with a light touch. Will you agree to assist me?" Carlisle responded.

"Um, okay. If you think I am best one to help?" She replied.

"I do. Any objections?" Carlisle looked around the room as everyone's head nodded in agreement including my own. As much as wanted to to help, I trusted Carlisle more in his assessment of the situation's medical and political needs.

" _Edward normally I would not hesitate having you with me, but in this instance I need you outside to manage Charlie and the guests, plus I think Harry and Billy will be easier to manage._ " Carlisle spoke to me in his thoughts. I nodded my understanding. " _But stay close just in case._ " he added with a slight smirk.

As Charlie and I filed out of the house, Jasper came in carrying Carlisle's medical bag and the AED. After a quick thank you from Carlisle, he joined us outside as well.

Charlie looked back at the house and I was shocked with the thoughts I saw. Although he was worried for his longtime friend, it was his thoughts and concerns for Sue Clearwater that were surprising. Charlie hated to see Sue so upset over Harry. His mind quickly drifted to a several scenes over his lifetime when he admired her from afar, knowing that she was in love with Harry, although always wishing she would notice him. As fast as the thoughts entered, they left before Charlie looked back to me with a pleading look.

" _Dammit! I never wanted anyone to know!_ " Charlie thought. " _Edward, you must believe me. I would never act on those feelings. I know she loves Harry and Harry loves her. It's just sometimes I wish she would have picked me instead of Harry. Seeing her in there upset and crying…it's just tough on me to take._ "

Charlie turned away in self loathing for slipping and showing me that he was all too human being jealous and bit lovelorn. I reached out and touched Charlie's shoulder in comfort. Sue's own thoughts during the evening betrayed that Charlie held a tender spot in her heart as well, but it would not be fair to Sue, Harry, or Charlie for me to openly disclose that. So I offered him the only comfort I could provide.

"Chief, you have nothing to be ashamed of. Caring for someone that belongs to another does not make you weak or a bad person. Also, please know that I would never disclose to anyone what I just saw, just as I would not disclose to you if someone else harbored similar thoughts."

Charlie looked at me while he wrestled with my words and the hidden meaning I implied in them. Finally he nodded his head allowing a sense of relief to wash through him knowing that in another time or place, things might have been different.

* * *

While Carlisle situated everyone in the house and explained to Sue and Harry that the AED was just a precaution, Charlie went over to speak with Reverend Weber and his family. Cautiously Leah approached me with her younger brother Seth behind her. Leah was aware of the her tribe's strong ill feelings towards my family, but not the history and actual story behind their hatred. Her and Seth's desire to know what was going on with their father was stronger than any fear they had in approaching me.

"How's my Dad doing?" She asked cautiously. It was clear from their thoughts that Leah and Seth were not aware of their father's reoccurring chest pains either.

"I don't know for sure. Your father was having some chest pains, so my father is going to take a look to see what he can find." I replied.

"Is he having a heart attack?" Seth asked.

"Unfortunately I don't know for sure, but my best guess is no, it was not a heart attack." I answered

 _At least not today._

Charlie then came over and collected Seth and Leah to help him setup the makeshift horseshoe pit. Everyone understood it was diversionary tactic to bide their time, but for Charlie he wanted me to be able to listen in with my gift in case something unexpected came up.

In the house, Harry's intermittent chest pain, as well as his surly attitude had subsided enough for him to answer some of Carlisle's preliminary questions. Carlisle then checked Harry's basic vitals while Billy questioned and monitored his every action.

"I would like to listen to your chest now," Carlisle said. Harry nodded so Carlisle retrieved his stethoscope and proceeded to listen to Harry's breathing and heart. To Carlisle, Harry's breathing was fine, but something was off about the heart. I was stunned with what Carlisle was going to do next. If someone told me about the next diagnostic procedure before I saw it in his thoughts, I would have claimed it to a product of make believe, but I would have been wrong.

"Bella, would you get me a cookie sheet form the kitchen?" Carlisle asked.

Although she, as well as Sue, Harry and Billy, looked totally confused, Bella dutifully returned with a cookie sheet. Carlisle then explained what he was going to do.

"Mr. Clearwater I am sure you have heard of the term ultrasound?" He asked. Harry nodded. "Good. So I am going to lightly tap on different parts of your chest while I listen through the stethoscope. The tapping will send sound waves into your body and they will reflect off your organs, bones, and other body parts. My ears are much more sensitive than yours, so I will be able to use the reflected sound waves, specifically the higher ordered harmonics, to help me paint a mental picture of your heart and arteries."

"What is the cookie sheet for?" Sue asked.

"Good question," Carlisle answered. "Bella, place the cookie sheet behind Mr. Clearwater's back on his lefthand side." Bella shrugged in confusion but did as she was told. "The cookie sheet, being metal, will give the sound waves a consistent and equally resilient surface to bounce off of. These reflected waves will create a small Doppler effect that will help me be more accurate with my assessment." From everyone's collective minds, except for my sweet Bella's, I registered a mixture of amazement and confusion. "Shall we begin?"

Carlisle positioned the stethoscope. "Bella, I want you to hold the stethoscope to Mr. Clearwater's chest right here. I am going tap lightly on Mr. Clearwater's chest. I promise this will not hurt, in fact given the speed at which I will be tapping, it may tickle.

Bella nodded and held the stethoscope as directed.

Carlisle nodded as He closed his eyes and started tapping. His pace increased until his movements could not be seen by the humans but they could hear a buzzing sound of his fingers. In his mind he started to visualize Harry's heart. He added a second hand and the mental picture filled in more. Carlisle moved around to different locations on Harry's chest, shoulder, and back. Each move brought more detail to what Carlisle was envisioning. It was amazing to witness it all in his thoughts.

After a few more seconds, Carlisle opened his eyes and pulled away from Harry. "You can remove the stethoscope, Bella. Thank you. I would like to try one more thing, but I will need your help as well Mr. Black. Will you assist us?"

By this point Billy was partially stunned by Carlisle's homegrown diagnostic procedure. He nodded and wheeled himself closer to Harry.

"This time, while I tap, I want you, Billy, to lightly place two fingers on Harry's radial artery in his left wrist. Then two fingers on his carotid artery on the left hand side of the neck. okay?"

Billy agreed and the three of them start the process again. This time, as Billy pressed on the artery pressure points, I could see in Carlisle's mental image how the blood become restricted with the associated pressure. This additional pressure caused portions of the coronary arteries to bulge and misshapen. Carlisle's mental image is not nearly as sharp as an echocardiogram or an intravascular ultrasound, but it was adequate to spot the possible problem.

After removing the stethoscope and placing it back in his bag, Carlisle delivered his verdict.

"The good news, Mr. Clearwater is that you were not having a heart attack today, but most likely an attack of angina, which however can be a precursor to having a heart attack if left untreated. From our little makeshift ultrasound test, I could sense that either your left circumflex or left marginal coronary artery has amassed a critical level of plaque build up. The angina is just the beginning, Mr. Clearwater. If you don't go and start getting treatment for moderate to advanced stage coronary artery disease, I predict you will most likely have a heart attack in the next two years. I am not saying this to unduly scare you. You are lucky that with proper medical care now, you can start reversing this chronic condition and lead a long and happy life."

Sue had started crying again as she hugged her husband, silently thanking the powers that be for this warning.

Carlisle wrote down some information on his medical pad. before handing it to Harry.

"Mr. Clearwater, although I would welcome advising you further on this matter, I certainly understand that you would not be comfortable with my involvement. Therefore, the name and number on that sheet is the head of cardiology at Olympic Memorial Hospital in Port Angeles. I know him personally, which hopefully you won't hold against him. He is one of the best cardiology specialists in the state. With your permission, I would like to tell him to expect your call. Oh, and I also believe Olympic still has a couple Masen patient grants available to assist in any of the medical costs. Just ask them about it."

Sue looked to Harry who just nodded back to his wife. "Dr. Cullen, thank you for today," Sue replied. Her voice was thick with emotion, but she managed an authentic smile. "Harry and I would indeed appreciate you giving your colleague a call for us. We won't be ignoring this any further."

Carlisle simply smiled back before he excused himself so that Sue and Harry could have their privacy. A few moments later, He and Bella came out to the backyard. Leah and Seth approached Carlisle for information about their father, while Bella came over to me with a big smile gracing her face.

"Hello, sweet girl. How was it?" I asked while reaching down to hold her hand.

"I'm sure you were paying close attention," she said while tapping her head, "but that was one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. Your father is amazing!" She looked around the yard until her eyes landed on Charlie, who was talking to Jacob, but was Iooking back at us. "This has been the best birthday ever!"

* * *

After about ten minutes, Sue, Harry, and Billy came back out. After getting a couple of big hugs from his kids, Harry announced that he had enough excitement for one day so he was going to head home. Since Billy and Jacob rode with the Clearwater's, they would be leaving too. The Clearwater's and Black's wished Bella a happy birthday and then made their way out front. The had parked down the street so Bella would not see their truck earlier. Sue gathered her kids and Jacob as they left to get their vehicle.

"Dr. Cullen, Edward, may we have a word?" Harry Clearwater asked as Billy wheeled up next to him.

Carlisle and I walked them to the front of the house to wait for Sue.

Once at the street's edge, Harry turned and stuck his hand out to Carlisle. "I owe you, and your family an apology, Dr. Cullen. As you may guess this does not come easy to me, but my family and I are grateful for you help. Thank you."

"You are very welcome, Mr. Clearwater. I do sincerely hope you are able to resolve these health issues. You have a terrific family, a loving wife, and a lot good friends to help support you along the way."

Emotion was starting to get the best of Harry as he thought about what he could have lost for being so pigheaded, so he just nodded and shook Carlisle's hand one more time.

"I also owe you and your family an apology," Billy Black said in strong voice that reminded me and Carlisle of his grandfather, Ephraim. "Edward, not too long ago you challenged me to look beyond my own hatred of your kind and see that your family is different. I didn't do that before, but today, you finally opened my eyes. We still hold you to the terms of the treaty you forged with my people, but I am willing to accept your presence here and work with your family to ensure the safety and well-being of the region. I don't know if we could ever be friends, but Harry, myself, and the tribe no longer see the Cullen family as our enemies." Billy reached out and shook each of our hands.

"We know that you do not give your acceptance or trust in us easily," Carlisle answered. "We will endeavor to live up to the terms of the treaty, and I fervently hope that someday we will be able to call each other friends. But until that time, I will gladly accept the title of non-enemies."

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_

 _ **Thank you for the many, many reviews! Also, I want to say "Hello!" to all of the new readers over the past week or so. I am humbled and grateful for everyone that is reading and reviewing.**_

 _ **Only 1 chapter tonight...sorry. Next week, October 31st is Halloween (aka All Hallows Eve) for the United States (as well as many other parts of the world). On Monday, we will take a little jump in time forward for a new chapter that was never part of the original story. The Cullens and Bella will celebrate Halloween together...any guesses on what will happen?**_


	47. Chapter 47

~ Forks, Washington - October 31, 2004 ~

I looked around and shook my head at the wonderful absurdity in front of me. My family and Bella had gathered at the children's wing of the hospital to bring Halloween to the kids that were missing out on the traditional revelry of this autumn holiday. Rose and Esme had orchestrated our visit, and both had insisted that we all be in costume for the children. So Alice worked her magic and elaborately outfitted each of us per our own specifications and desires.

I was originally going to dress as a circa 1917 Chicago White Sox baseball player. However, after hearing about everyone else's choices, I decided to indulge a secret fantasy of mine, which is why I was wearing an exact replica of Gene Wilder's Willy Wonka outfit and humming _Pure Imagination_ to myself.

Bella dipped into her childhood fantasies and was dressed as Snow White. I never had any sexual cosplay fantasies before. However, that all changed once I saw Bella's outfit, which was tasteful, yet also incredibly sexy. I was looking forward to spending some time later with my beautiful princess.

Rose was dressed as her favorite female super hero, Captain Marvel. Although not as well known to the kids, Rose was enjoying embodying Carol Danvers' iconic blue, red, and gold costume. Emmett, who was dressed as a shocking realistic version of General Maximus from the movie _Gladiator_ , also liked Rose's choice of costume. I was pretty sure neither of their outfits would survive their planned post-evening hunt activities.

Alice was channeling her personality with a shimmering pixie costume that included a pair of ornate wings that she could make flutter at will. Whereas, Jasper decided to satisfy his secret desire to be an authentic old-western cowboy, including leather chaps, boots, and spurs.

Esme was a hit with the younger children dressed as Little Bo Peep, which was her favorite nursery rhyme as a child.

However, it was Carlisle's costume that was perhaps the biggest surprise, if for no other reason other than the pure irony of it. He was dressed as a Bela Lugosi inspired version of Count Dracula, complete with flowing cape, ceramic fangs, and fake blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. A brief, yet somewhat disturbing, thought I intercepted while Carlisle was getting dressed, was that he secretly enjoyed Lugosi's interpretation of our kind and always wanted to tell someone "I want to suck your blood!"

Although we were all glad to be here for the children, we also reveled in pretending to be our alter egos. Between handing out candy, reading stories, and playing games, our time passed quickly and enjoyably.

At present, Alice and Esme were coloring pictures with a little girl, while Jasper wowed a little boy with some simple magic tricks. Emmett, sitting on one of the nurse's wheeled desk chairs, was engaged in a low speed chariot race with a wheelchair-bound boy. Rose, and very shy girl, were off to the side building elaborate structures with multi-colored toy building bricks. Bella was reading a not-so-spooky ghost story to an energetic six-year-old, while Carlisle and I were getting soundly beaten at a board game by a precocious eleven-year-old.

Seeing the the joy and excitement both in the children's minds and on their faces warmed my soul. What made this afternoon even more special for me was knowing how much my family was enjoying the experience as well. As much as we were giving to these children, they were giving back to us. So much of a vampire's existence was spent on the periphery of humanity. My family had endeavored to live amongst the humans, but it was rare to truly feel part of their world. However, today, I have never felt more human and I knew that this scene would be repeated often by my family.

* * *

All too soon it came time for us to leave the hospital. Most of my family, sans Carlisle and Esme, were going for a hunt. Carlisle changed out of his costume and got ready for the evening shift he volunteered to cover so one his colleagues could spend the evening with her young children. As was becoming typical when Carlisle was working, Esme was going to stay at the hospital's children's wing to help out. At first, it was something she had been doing to stay close to her mate, but now she enjoyed being useful and relished having another nurturing avenue to explore.

Bella and I headed back to her house. Charlie was working the evening and overnight shifts and we had a good hour or so before it would be time to hand out treats to the neighborhood kids. I planned on using our time alone kissing and exploring my beautiful Snow White.

* * *

"You are holding me a bit too tight," Bella whispered as she peppered by chin and neck with kisses.

I had one hand exploring the curves of her breasts, while my other hand gripped her shoulder. I instantly jerked away, while my eyes locked onto the slight hand mark just barely visible on her left shoulder.

"I'm sorry…" I gasped, horrified that I was hurting my mate.

Before I could continue, Bella put her finger across my lips and shook her head.

"So help me, Edward Cullen! If you apologize for touching me…I'll…well…I'll get one of your family to slap you silly! I am pretty sure Emmett would be happy to help out!" Bella looked down at her shoulder and smiled. "It's nothing, Edward. You know I bruise like a grape. And this," she said while pointing to her shoulder, "is hardly anything. I doubt it will even last." Bella bit her lip and smirked. "Although, the idea of you marking me as yours is kind of sexy."

I looked again at her shoulder, and she was right. I could see that the imprint was already starting to fade. I inwardly sighed in relief, but also filed away that she was not opposed to me marking her. The primal side of me really liked that idea as well.

"I told you I would speak up if you did something that I was uncomfortable with," Bella said before climbing into my lap and snuggling close to me. The feel of her bare chest next to mine was intoxicating and maddening. "I love the feel of your hands on me. They are so wonderfully cool and smooth." Bella sighed as I slowly rubbed my palms up her back. "There will be times when I might get bruised or marked. I am human, after all." I could feel Bella's smirk against my neck. "Don't focus on what didn't happen, focus on what did. I told you and you stopped." Bella looked up at me. Her eyes were happy. "Now, kiss me."

I leaned down and did as she asked. I kissed her.

She was right. So very right. No harm was done and a few bruises would not be the end of her world, although they may drive me occasionally mad. I did trust that she would speak up, just as I trusted I would not knowingly hurt her. After feeling her under my finger tips and seeing her glorious curves, there was no way I would be able to forgo further exploration. We would take it slow as we both learned how to be intimate with one another.

After a few more minutes of kissing, I held her close to me. My libido was raging, but I knew we, or more specifically, I, had enough excitement for the evening. It was just wonderful to have her in my arms. Tonight, we explored and undressed a bit more than we ever had before. My mind jumped to some unknown time into the future when we would go even further and I would make love to her. It was something I wanted to be able to do so very much. The thought of sharing that with Bella, brought to the front of my mind a question I had been meaning to ask.

"Bella, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, you can ask me anything."

"Well, its just…" I struggled with how to word my question. "Women your age, every month they experience…". I paused to find the courage to say the words that felt so intimate to me.

"Edward, are trying to ask me about my period?" Bella asked with a slight smile.

"Yeah, I am," I replied as I awkwardly looked away from her. "If that is a topic that is too personal or taboo, you do not need to answer."

"Edward, look at me," Bella gently commanded, so I did. "It's not a topic that is off limits. Given what you are, I understand why you would be interested. However, it is not something you need to worry about." Bella took a breath before continuing. "Last year, after I went on my first date, my Mom suggested that I think about going on the pill."

A shot of jealous anger bolted through me as I stiffened at the thought of Bella dating anyone else but me.

"Relax, Edward. I told you, I've never done anything other than kiss, which did not happen on that date. However, my Mom felt I should be control of my future, so she urged me to consider some form of birth control. I was not opposed to the idea, and not for the reasons you will likely jump to." She looked at me with a raised brow before continuing. "Those times of the month weren't pleasant for me, so going on a pill that would limit those times to just fours times a year seemed liked a good idea. That is why I haven't had my period since we've been together. I will definitely let you know when I am at the end of each three month cycle." Bella paused in thought. "Can a vampire even get a human pregnant?"

This was a topic Carlisle privately discussed once Bella and I mated. Unfortunately I did not have much information to share.

"Neither Carlisle or I have ever heard of a vampire impregnating a human. Despite our physiologies being drastically different, we were all once human and everything appears to work the same way, including the male reproductive ejaculatory fluid containing a vampire version of spermatozoa."

Bella giggled at my answer. "Oh my god! That was a very clinical and academic answer, Edward. You really have a way talking about the birds and the bees." I didn't mind her teasing, as it was a subject I was not at ease speaking about. "Well, we shouldn't have to worry about that. Actually, that reminds me that I need to find a new gynecologist up here." Bella paused while she thought this over. I prayed she would not ask if Carlisle would consider seeing her, because that was something I would not allow. "I know Dad won't be much help. Maybe I'll talk to Angela about her doctor."

 _Yes! Ask Angela and not Carlisle!_

* * *

A little bit later, Bella and I had changed into normal street clothes. Darkness was setting in and the trick-or-treaters were starting to come around. The Swan residence was outside the the main downtown area, so not too many kids were expected. The two that had come to the door so far were Charlie's closest neighbors. Bella allowed each child to grab a handful of candy, which excited the children immensely. Since Charlie was usually working on Halloween, this was the first time the kids had included the house on their Halloween route. Last week, Charlie and Bella let those closest to them know that this year the Swan residence would be welcoming Halloween visitors.

Just as Bella closed the door, my phone rang. A quick glance at the caller's number, told me it was Forks police station, so I immediately answered.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Hello, Edward, its Betty down at the station. Can you hold for Chief Swan?"

"Yes, of course." I heard one of the other phone lines at the office ring. Betty huffed out a breath before placing me hold. A few moments later she picked back up.

"Sorry, about that. Tonight's been crazy with Chief Swan, Mark, and Brad out patrolling the area. I'll connect you to the Chief."

After a few electronic clicks, Charlie was on the call via his radio.

"Edward? Can you hear me?" Charlie asked. His voice sounded stressed and hurried.

"Yes, Charlie. Is anything wrong?" Bella looked over at me with a worried expression.

"Kind of. I have a situation that I was hoping you could help me out with. I am over at the Mallory residence. I believe you know Lauren Mallory. She's in your grade."

"Yes, I am know Lauren," I answered. Bella was now sitting next to me trying to overhear the call.

"Well, she has a little brother, named Andrew. Andy for short. Mr. and Mrs. Mallory were down in Port Angeles for the evening, so Lauren was supposed to take Andy around trick-or-treating. She wasn't too happy about this, so she decided to scare her brother by telling him that a monster was up in his room waiting to eat him. Her friend, Tyler, who I believe you also know, snuck up to Andy's room and pretended to be the monster. Well, Lauren got her wish because Andy got so scared he ran out of the house and now no-one can find him." Next to me Bella gasped. "Lauren and Tyler looked for him, but once she realized she couldn't find him, she called her parents. Mr. and Mrs. Mallory came home and they couldn't find him either, so they called 9-1-1. It's dark out now and everyone is pretty worried, so I stepped outside and radio'ed Betty to get a hold of you. I was hoping you could help us find him."

"Say no more, Charlie. I am at your house with Bella." I paused as I did not know if Betty was listening in, as she had a habit of doing on the radio calls. It was probably best to not openly say I would find Andy by listening for his thoughts. "I'll leave now to search for him."

Charlie let out ragged breath. "Thank you, Edward."

I hung up the phone and before I could even tell Bella what was going on, she was pushing me off the couch. "You go find that little boy, Edward! Go!"

I quickly kissed Bella's cheek before leaving through the back door. I would be able move much quicker through the woods, where no-one would be able to see me.

In less than a minute I was close enough to downtown to pickup the thoughts at the Mallory residence. Charlie was explaining that he radioed for help and the search for Andy was underway. I also picked up the thoughts of Rose, Alice, Emmett, and Jasper approaching from the other side of town.

" _We'll meet you by the Mallory house,_ " Jasper said in this thoughts. He and Emmett would be helping me search for Andy, while Alice and Rose were heading to Bella's house to keep her company. A couple of moments later I could see Charlie's police cruiser sitting outside the Mallory residence. At the end of the block, I waited for Emmett and Jasper. I searched for Andy's thoughts, but I could not hear him.

Soon, Emmett and Jasper slowed from their run and walked over to me.

"Yo, Eddie!" Emmett greeted me with a slap on the back. "Find the boy yet?"

"No, not yet," I answered. "He is not close to the house or anywhere between here and Bella's."

"On our run over, we didn't hear anything and I didn't pickup any scared or panicked feelings from the people close by," Jasper added before handing me a flashlight. "I brought this just in case." He was right to bring it. We may be able to see fine in the dark, but Andy would not.

"I guess that leaves the woods then," I said as I listened for his thoughts one more time before we all started walking towards the woods. As soon as we reached the trees we all sped away.

Now that it was dark, the temperature was dropping and it is even cooler in the woods. Given the amount of time since Andy ran away, his adrenaline had to be wearing off, which would make him feel the chilled air even more. After we got about a quarter mile in, I heard little's Andy's panicked thoughts. He was sitting, folded up into in a little ball, sobbing and shivering under a canopy of pine branches a good two and half miles away from his house.

"I found him," I called out to my brothers.

I picked up more of Andy's thoughts. He had run into the woods to find the makeshift tree fort he and his friends play at, but got turned around and disoriented in the darkening forest. The more he searched for something familiar, the more he got lost. He had also fallen several times during his wandering and had several cuts on his cheek and arms.

"Be warned, he has a couple of cuts," I told Emmet and Jasper.

"I'm good," Emmett replied. Except for his one mishap with his singer, Emmett really did have a good control over his bloodlust.

"Don't worry about me," Jasper added. I could see in Jasper's thoughts that his time at the hospital had a profound effect on him. Jasper may have previously respected the need to protect human life, but he never allowed himself to get close to humans. He still saw them as a delicacy he could not indulge in. However, the kids Jasper performed magic tricks for really connected with him. The looks on their faces and the squeals of joy over his slight-of-hand tricks, resonated with Jasper at a level he had previously never allowed.

As we ran the final half mile to Andy, I looked over at Jasper in surprise. He caught my expression and returned a small smile.

" _I never really allowed myself to see how special human life was before this afternoon,_ " Jasper told me in his thoughts. " _But those children had so much hope and joy. Their emotions were so pure and powerful. I don't want to ever take that spark from another human ever again._ " Jasper looked away to where Andy was and frowned.

"I can now feel him," Jasper said aloud. "He's so scared. I'll do my best to make him feel better." True to his words, Jasper worked to take away as much of the boy's fear as he could.

"Andy!" Emmett called out. "Yo, Andy! Can you hear me?" We were close enough that we had to slow down so he would not see our vampire speed. I turned on the flashlight and shined it towards Andy.

Andy's head jerked upwards at the sound of his name. He jumped to his feet and started waving his arms.

"I'm here! Help! I'm over here!" Andy yelled back.

"Were coming to help you! Stay where you are!" I answered. A few more yards later, Andy came into view.

Andy stood silent as he took the three of us in. For a moment a new spike of fear went through him, but Jasper eased that away and helped him feel comfortable around us.

"Hey there, sport!" Emmett greeted Andy. "I'm Emmett, and this is Edward and Jasper. You are one hard kid to find. You must be killer at hide-n-seek!"

Andy liked Emmett's playful nature, but he was still unsure about Jasper and I. We could smell the blood from Andy's cuts. I wanted to check him out and then get him home.

"Hello, Andy. Do you know who Chief Swan is?" I asked.

Andy nodded. "Yeah, he came to my school last year and talked to my class," he answered in a soft voice.

"Well, Chief Swan sent us to find you," I told him. Andy was still worried about a monster waiting for him at home. "He wants you to know that there isn't any monsters at your house. There never was. Your sister was just playing a joke on you."

Andy looked to Emmett and Jasper for confirmation.

"It's true, little dude," Emmett told him.

"Your sister was just trying to give you a scare," Jasper added. Andy looked over at Jasper and gave him a slight smile. He liked Jasper's southern accent.

"I'm pretty sure Lauren has been grounded by your parents," I said. "How about you let us take you home, and we can see how long she's going to be in trouble for." From the thoughts of Andy's parents and Lauren that I previously picked up, I knew that it was at least two months.

Andy smiled at the thought og Lauren getting in trouble. "Ok," Andy finally replied.

I walked towards him and knelt down to look at his cuts. They weren't too deep and they were already mostly clotted. "Do these hurt?" I asked as I pointed at his arm and cheeks.

Andy shook his head no. They did hurt, but he was too embarrassed to admit it in front of us. Andy shivered as a small gust of wind passed over his skin. Jasper saw this and took off the sweater he had on over his shirt, and handed it to Andy.

"You put that on," Jasper told him. "We have a bit of walk ahead of us."

Andy looked at the sweater for a moment before answering, "Ok." He was too cold to not take it.

I helped Andy into Jasper's sweater. It was of course big on him, but it would help keep him warm. Once I got the sleeves rolled up, Andy's head jerked up suddenly.

"Do you know how to get back?" He asked in a panicked voice.

"Sure, we do," Emmett told him. "In fact, how would you like ride back to the house on my shoulders? That way you can man the flashlight and tell us when you can see your house."

Andy liked the idea of not having to walk through the dark woods and being able to use the flashlight, so he eagerly nodded to Emmett.

* * *

As soon as we got into cell phone range, which was about a mile away from Andy's house, I called Betty at the police station to have her radio Charlie that our mission had been successful.

During our walk back, Andy had become more vocal as his comfort level with us increased. For the past few minutes, Andy, Emmett, and Jasper had been debating which superhero was the most powerful. Andy was positive that Superman was the strongest. Emmett thought it was Thor. While, Jasper was quite certain both of them were wrong as he had always been partial to Dr. Manhattan; a character Andy was not familiar with as _The Watchmen_ was not suitable for kids his age. I resisted entering the dispute, but all three of them were wrong. It was obvious that The Silver Surfer was the most powerful.

Once we got into view of Andy's house, he called out, "There's my house!"

Emmett let him down from his shoulders. As soon as his feet hit the ground, Andy ran through the wood line, across the back yard and into the waiting arms of his mother and father. Charlie stood next to them looking both relieved and happy at Andy's reunion. Lauren stayed behind and watched. She was glad nothing terrible happened to her brother, as she had been imaging the worst possible outcomes. She was also shocked to see that it was Emmett, Jasper and I that found her brother. She was grateful, but also worried the entire school would learn of what happened. After his parent's smothered him with kisses and hugs, Lauren sucked in a deep breath and stepped towards Andy. She started to apologize, but Andy stopped her.

"Lauren, you're a big jerk and I am mad at you!" He told her. Andy was worried he would get in trouble for calling his sister a jerk, but he didn't care. He would gladly put a dollar in the swear jar for his perceived curse. He then turned and pointed back to where Emmett, Jasper and I had been standing. "They told me you lied about there being a monster in my room. That is so not cool!"

Charlie kneeled down next to Andy and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You have every right to be mad, Andy. I agree, what your sister did was not cool." Charlie paused and gave Lauren his best upset cop glare., which made her cower and look away. "But in the future, how about not running into the woods at night, ok? You can always give your parents or me a call. I'll be glad to check on any monsters for you."

"Or us, little dude!" Emmett added. "We're all buds now, so we've got your back." Emmett leaned down and gave Andy a fist bump.

Andy smiled at Emmett. "That's my new friend Emmett, and his brothers, Jasper and Edward." Andy told his parents, before turning back to Charlie. "Emmett calls you magnet pie, why is that?"

"Yo!" Emmett exclaimed with a chuckle as he ruffled Andy's hair. "That was supposed to be our little secret! And, I said, Chief Swan was our version of Magnum P.I., not magnet pie." Andy looked at him in confusion. "It's because of the mustache, dude," Emmett added while giving Charlie and playful nudge. "The best crime solvers always have a great mustache."

Andy looked oddly at a now blushing Charlie. Andy still did not understand, but he was willing to just accept what Emmett had said.

" _Your crazy brother has no filter_ ," Charlie thought at me, however, he secretly liked being referred to as Forks' own Thomas Magnum. He was also glad Emmett didn't say he looked like Forks' own Hercule Poirot, the only other mustached crime solver Charlie could think of. I smiled and had to look away at the thought of Charlie dressed as Agatha Christie's fastidious and dandified Belgium detective.

Andy's parents approached and thanked us for finding their son. They had heard stories from both Lauren and the town gossips about the Cullen family. Lauren had often referred to us as "freaks", and now her parent's were deeply embarrassed at their daughter's cruel depiction of our family. While we were talking to his parents, Andy looked sadly at his neighbor's houses.

"Hey, what's got you so sad?" Jasper asked him.

"I missed trick-or-treating," he replied. "I was going as go as Harry Potter this year."

Charlie heard his admission as he thought of the bag of candy he had stashed in his car. Every year he brought candy with him while he patrolled on Halloween. He and the other Forks deputies would stop and give some to the kids they came across during the evening. He started wondering if he could arrange an impromptu trick-or-treating session just for Andy. At that moment, my phone beeped with an incoming message.

" _Charlie's idea is a good one, we are already at the station getting it ready._ " Alice had texted me.

I raised the screen of my phone to Charlie. He read Alice's message and shook his head in disbelief He was not quite use to Alice's gift, as well as her ability to set things into motion at a moment's notice. However, he knew her well enough to suspect that Alice would have something amazing planned for Andy.

"Andy, if it is ok with your parents, I think you should get dressed up and come down to the Police station. I have feeling if you do, you might just be able to get some trick-or-treating in yet." Both Andy and Charlie looked expectantly at Mr. and Mrs. Mallory. Both of them eagerly agreed to the plan.

* * *

The Mallory's wanted to get a look at Andy's cuts and then get him ready. It was arranged that we would all meet them at the police station in about a half-hour. Charlie radioed Betty, but Alice, Rose, and Bella already informed her about the current plan, including letting Mark and Brad know to stop by the station.

My brother's and I rode over with Charlie. As soon as we got into the car, Charlie started to say what was on his mind.

"Thank you all for finding Andy tonight. I normally would never ask any of you to use your talents or abilities to circumvent due process, but this was a special case."

"You are very welcome, Charlie," I replied. "You can always ask for our help. I am just glad this ended well."

"What Edward said, Chief," Emmett added. "Rose and I may not have some special vamp-gifts like these two, but consider us part of your team. I only ask that you shoot me, just once."

Charlie rolled his eyes before glancing in the rear-view mirror at Emmett, who smiled cockily at him and winked.

"Chief Swan, I know you are not comfortable with mine or Alice's gifts." It was the first time Jasper really ever spoke to Charlie directly. "However, please know I am willing to be of assistance at any time. Andy was terrified being lost in the woods tonight. I was glad to be able to take away some of those feelings from him. So use us…use me, if you need too. I have a lot to atone for, but my offer of assistance is not to assuage my guilt. I am offering my help because it's just the right thing to do."

Charlie quickly glanced back towards Jasper. Both men nodded at each other, silently confirming their agreement.

" _You have a good family, Edward._ " Charlie said in this thoughts as we pulled up to the police station. The outside had been transformed into a spooky visage complete with fake spider webs, sheets hung like ghosts, and festive orange and purple lights.

"Dude!" Emmett exclaimed as he punched Jasper in the arm. "Ally-cat made Halloween throw up all over the Chief's station!"

Charlie was stunned as he glanced between Jasper and the station. With a shrug of his shoulders, Jasper simply replied. "I've learned to just go with it. I guarantee you Christmas will be much worse."

Charlie looked over at me for confirmation. With a sad smile I just nodded my head, because Jasper was right. Christmas would probably be much worse.

When we exited the car, we were immediately met by Bella, who was back in costume as Snow White.

"Hi, Dad!" Bella greeted. "Let's get inside. Alice has been waiting for you all to arrive. This is going to be so much fun!"

Charlie, Jasper, and Emmett walked into the police station like three men walking to the gallows. Having seen what Bella, Alice, Rose, and Betty had been up to inside, I knew the three of them would be shocked. Well, Charlie would be shocked. Jasper and Emmett were use to Alice over doing things.

Bella pulled me aside and gave me a quick kiss. "That's for finding that little boy. Now let's get you inside. You have a costume to change into, Mr. Wonka."

* * *

"Its time!" Alice called out as the Mallory family pulled into the parking lot.

Inside the police station, my family, Bella, Charlie, Mark, Brad, and Betty were all ready for Andy to arrive. My family all wore our costumes from earlier and around the small office we had several stations setup with candy, fruit, and pumpkin seasoned popcorn. In the short amount of time we had to prepare, the station was quickly decorated with fake spiderwebs, colored lights, and a smoke machine. Originally we were going to use these decorations at the hospital, but that wasn't allowed, so Alice and Rose quickly repurposed everything.

Betty had been calling all of her network of Forks friends and family to see if other families wanted to come down and share in the spooky Police station fun. From the miscellaneous thoughts I could pickup around the homes near the station, her efforts would be successful.

Emmett was stationed outside and met the Mallorys at the curb.

"Hey, little dude!" He greeted Andy, who was now dressed as Harry Potter, complete with round spectacles, a school robe, wand, and the infamous forehead scar. "You know how to use that thing?" Emmett asked as he pointed towards the wand.

"Sure do! I've been practicing all week. Watch!" Andy flicked the wand and called out "Lumos!" at the same time he pressed a hidden button, causing the tip of the wand to glow brightly.

"Wow!" Emmett exclaimed in mock shock while he jump backwards. "You are a wizard! That's pretty cool!"

Andy beamed at Emmett.

"Come-on," Emmett continued. "You may need that light. The police station has been taken over by a variety of Halloween baddies! I think I even saw a vampire in there." My family and I all collectively groaned at Emmett's attempt at ironic humor.

Andy looked at the station. He wasn't afraid. He had his wand and Emmett with him. Rose opened the door and Andy nearly squealed when he saw Rose's superhero costume. He didn't know which superhero she was, but to him, she looked pretty cool!

"Welcome to our not so haunted police station," she's said with a smile. She was holding a bowl with some candy in it. Andy went to reach for some, but Rose pulled it away. "Not so fast! You have to say the magic words first."

Andy paused and thought for a moment before he said, "Trick or Treat!"

Rose smiled and let Andy grab some candy, before motioning for him to enter. Once inside, Andy went around to each person yelling "trick-or-treat" and receiving candy and other snacks. Charlie, Mark and Brad also spent time with Andy showing him different aspects of the station, including the holding cell that contained a fake skeleton glowing eerily by the help of a strategically placed black light. Andy's parents followed behind him and thanked each of us for our efforts.

Soon, about a dozen other families with young children showed up, thanks to Betty'e phone calls. Each kid received their treats and a tour of the station. Our costumes were hit and by the time we headed home, the evening was considered a great success by all involved. So much so, that Charlie, Mark, Brad, and Betty wanted to make this an annual Forks ritual.


	48. Chapter 48

~ Forks, Washington ‐ December 24, 2004 ~

I lit the final candle in the cottage library before surveying the scene I had created. I wanted everything to be perfect for this evening. Perfect for my Bella. Soft seasonal music filtered through the room as a fire crackled happily in the fireplace. Its amber glow mixing with the dozen or so candles I had placed throughout the room. Next to my piano stood my first ever Christmas tree, complete with soft white lights, gold strands of garlands, delicate glass ornaments, and a large gold bow crowning the top. Outside the window, my garden was lit with causal swags of white lights adorning the surrounding bushes and topiaries. Finally, back inside, under the Christmas tree sat a small package that was waiting for my Bella.

I had never really enjoyed Christmastime since my change. I had, of course, previously exchanged gifts with my family, as well as played festive music on the piano for their enjoyment. However, I never fully embraced the holiday season as a time of joyful celebration. In truth, on past Christmas Eve's, I would play some holiday music before quickly handing out my gifts. Then I would often go for an extended multi-day hunting trip to allow the couples in my family to privately celebrate the holiday with their mates. Christmas was a lonely, melancholy time for me.

This year had been different for a couple of reasons. First, I finally felt the holiday spirit within me. Although Christmas was still not an overtly religious time for me, I felt the need to celebrate the hope and love that this time of year represented.

Secondly, I finally had my own mate to enjoy the season with and to share what I considered as my first, true Christmas. Although my Bella was not much into material gifts, I have enjoyed spoiling her in other ways leading up to this evening. The lone gift beneath the tree represented more than just its arbitrary monetary value. Within that one box was a future full of promises and dreams.

* * *

As soon as I heard Bella's SUV coming down our private drive, I darted from the cottage to wait for her in front of the main house. A few extraordinary long minutes later I helped Bella from the vehicle and into my arms.

"I missed you," I whispered before kissing her deeply.

Unfortunately, Bella pulled away to take a much needed breath. "But we just saw each other a few hours ago," she teased. "Don't tell me you are turning into clingy boyfriend?"

It had been only a few hours since I last saw her, but we were at her house and Charlie was present. With him home, I could hardly do to her what I truly wanted.

"Clingy boyfriend?" I answered. "You have no idea how clingy I can be. Just wait until next week! I know Charlie is really looking forward to spending time with you in Canada, but I am going to be missing you terribly until you get back."

Charlie had surprised Bella with a five day trip to British Columbia between Christmas and New Years. Charlie did invite me along, but I didn't need to read his thoughts to know that he was looking forward to spending time with his daughter. I would survive without Bella, at least I hoped I would.

"You know I am going to miss you too," Bella replied before snuggling against my chest. "I know Dad invited you along, and part of me wishes you would have accepted, but another part of me is glad it will be just him and I."

"I know, love. I am glad you two will have the time together. Now, let's get you inside," I said before gently picking up Bella and walking towards the cottage. Charlie may get to be with her next week, but I get to have her alone this evening and I was not going to waste anymore time.

"I'm worried about him," she whispered. "I know he has his friends and he loves his job, but I think he is lonely." Bella paused to look up at me. She knew I would not openly betray any of Charlie's thoughts, but my sad smile told her she was right. "I know he has gotten over my Mom, but he never dates. Granted, Forks doesn't have a big over-thirty singles scene, but my Dad deserves to have someone."

"You are correct, your father does deserve to have someone. All I can tell you is that he is open to ending his bachelorhood, but he is looking for something more than just a casual hookup."

"And Sue Clearwater is very much married," Bella added. I looked down at Bella wide-eyed, wondering if Charlie had said something to her. "Please, over the years I have seen the way he has looked at her. My guess is, Dad has had a crush on her since before she met Harry. Which, by-the-way, did you know that my Dad introduced Sue to Harry back when they were teenagers?" I shook my head in response. "Yeah, I bet he regrets that day, but then again, if he had been with Sue, he would have never asked my Mom out and I wouldn't be here."

"And, I like you being here," I said followed by another kiss. "Perhaps we should engage Alice's services. She is quite the match maker!"

Bella giggled. "Oh no! She is already too smug about her previous efforts! Surely my Dad is not that desperate."

Before we could continue, I thought back to fragment of a vision I caught in Alice's mind about a month ago. It was of Charlie holding hands with someone, but Alice changed her thoughts before I could see it all. I never gave it much thought at the time, but perhaps Bella would get her wish regarding her Dad after all.

* * *

"This is perfect," Bella said between sips of her hot chocolate. "The tree, the fire, the cocoa...its just perfect." Bella sat her drink down and climbed into my lap, wrapping her arms around my neck. "I have a little confession. I don't have to be back until tomorrow. Dad is working tonight, so I am having a Christmas sleepover with Alice and Rose." Bella ended her statement by placing soft kisses along my jaw and neck.

"But my family is away hunting tonight," I replied as best I could given that Bella's lips were traveling over my skin.

"Merry Christmas, Edward! Its part of my Christmas gift too you." Bella whispered against my skin before pulling my head down to kiss me properly on the lips.

When Rose told me earlier that it was my family's turn to leave so Bella and I could have some privacy, I was a bit shocked, but also excited to have a few hours alone with Bella. To know I would now have all night and into tomorrow with her made me ecstatic! I had wanted to move our physically relationship forward and now I was presented with the perfect opportunity to allow our passion for each other to move beyond the heavy petting we had previously enjoyed. I just hoped that Bella had the same thing in mind, although given that she was now exploring my mouth with her tongue, I felt confident that our purposes were aligned.

After a few minutes of heaven, Bella finally ended her assault on my mouth. "Let's open our gifts, Edward," Bella said with a breathy voice.

It took me a few moments to collect myself before I could speak, so I just simply nodded. Bella rewarded me with brilliant smile before telling not to move while she leapt from my lap and disappeared from the room. I heard her open a cupboard door in the kitchen before scampering back into the room. To my surprise she was carrying a small duffle bag with her.

"Rose was my accomplice," Bella simply stated as she unzipped the bag and pulled out two small packages. It now made complete sense to me why Rose sent me on a wild goose chase to find Emmett out in the woods earlier. She must of snuck down here and hidden Bella's bag.

Bella sat down in front of the Christmas tree before patting the floor next to her, beckoning me to join her. Intrigued by both the remaining contents of the duffle bag and the gifts in her hand, I tried my best to causally join her on the floor. Once I was seated I pulled Bella's package from the beneath the tree and waited to see what the remainder of her plan might be.

Bella glanced down at the packages she held before turning back to me blushing. "I know I said only one gift each, but my gift to you has two parts to it." Bella said timidly before setting them off to the side. "Um, Edward, I...I would like you to open mine last if that is ok?"

I watched Bella's eyes dart between the discarded gifts and the one I held. I was anxious for Bella to open mine anyway so her request was easy to comply with.

"As you wish, love," I replied as I placed my gift to her on her lap. "Bella, have I told you that my father asked my mother to marry him on Christmas Eve?"

Bella's eyes widened and her back went rigid as she looked at the package on her lap. "Edward, is this...are you..."

I placed my hand on Bella's cheek and raised her gaze from the gift back to me. "No, Bella. As much as I would like to bind myself to you as your husband, now is not the right time for that."

Bella shoulders relaxed at my admission. I was not upset at her reaction. I expected it. With a year and a half of high school left for her, this was not the time to speak about marriage. Bella gave me a slight smile before taking my hand from her cheek and kissing its palm.

"However," I continued, "back when I was human there was another way for a man to demonstrate his love and devotion. Bella, please open the gift."

Bella paused for a moment to before she ripped off the wrapping paper. In her hands she held a carved wooden box that had been my Mother's at one time.

"That was one of my mother's jewelry boxes," I explained. "In it she kept the pieces she cared most about. Open it, Bella."

Bella slowly lifted the lid before gasping at the contents. I reached down and pulled out the first of three items in the box. I held the ring up for her to see.

"Bella, this ring Is not an engagement ring. It is a promise ring. My father gave my mother one." I paused as I slipped the ring onto Bella's right-hand ring finger. I also noticed that a couple of tears ran down Bella's cheek. "Dearest, this ring a symbol of my love for you and it represents my promise to one day make you my wife."

Bella held her hand out and inspected the ring before she let out a slight giggle. "I'm sorry, Edward. I didn't mean to laugh, its just...you know what never mind. It's beautiful, Edward."

I held her hand in mine while I slowly spun the ring.

"This is a new ring that Rose helped me design. On it you will find several engravings separated by some small stones. The letters S, D, and C are woven together in an ornamental cursive script. They represent the surnames Swan, Dwyer, and Cullen. The Cullen family crest is also represented, as well as the phrase 'mon amour pour toujours', or 'my love forever' in French. My human surname, Masen, is typically thought of as English, but actually it is of Norman origin, hence the French. Finally, the three gems are sapphires, which besides being your birthstone, also represent a 'pledge of love'."

Bella turned the ring on her finger, as she touched each feature.

"I love it, Edward, and I love you. It's so beautiful both to look at and in its meaning. Thank you for promising to love me forever."

Bella wiped the stray tears from her cheeks as she continued to look at the ring. After a couple of quiet moments she glanced over to the remaining items in the jewelry chest.

"What else do you have for me? It seems you broke the one gift rule as well."

I gave her a quick smirk before I pulled the next item from the chest and handed it to her.

"I know that promise rings are not a very modern concept and I do not want you to feel obligated to wear it around others. Just knowing that you have accepted it means the world to me. After my Mother married my Father she would occasionally wear her promise ring on this necklace. If you wanted, I thought you could do the same."

Bella held the necklace out and watched it shimmer in the firelight. A few more tears appeared as she fingered the delicately woven gold strands.

"Edward, thank you. I am honored to be presented with your Mother's necklace. I will always cherish it, although I don't think that I can use it for its intended purpose, at least not yet. You see, I rather like the Idea of wearing this promise ring. So until I have another ring on my other hand to replace it, I think I will just keep it on."

I leaned over and kissed Bella on the lips. "Do you mean that? You really don't mind wearing my ring?"

"I do. I don't care what others might think about it. They don't matter to me. Only you and I matter." This time Bella leaned in and kissed me.

I knew at that moment I had never known such joy and happiness before. Just knowing that she wanted to wear my ring was the best gift I could've ever been given.

"Well then," I said, as I reached down and retrieved the final item from chest. "I have one more thing for you. It does seem a shame that the necklace should go unused." I turned Bella's hand palm up and poured the contents of the velvet pouch into it. "This was also my Mother's. When the necklace did not hold my Mother's promise ring, it held this heart pendant. Perhaps you could wear this around you neck."

Bella gasped as she gazed down at the heart shaped diamond.

"Oh! It's beautiful! I would love to wear this on the necklace. Thank you!"

Bella flung her arms around my neck and kissed me. When we pulled apart, I quickly unclasped the necklace and threaded the pendent down it's length. I motioned for Bella to lean forward. After a quick kiss, I secured the necklace around its new owners neck. The necklace was a bit long on Bella, but I did like how the gold strands allowed the sparkling heart to lay just to the top of her cleavage. Bella looked down and touched the heart pendant.

"I really do love this, Edward. Its like I have your heart next to mine." The symbolism of her words warmed me. My stone heart next to hers was perfect. "Um, Edward? This isn't just a crystal heart is it?"

I shook my head as I was still too taken with her words and the view of my gift against skin. Bella must have understood where my eyes and thoughts have traveled because her blush traveled down to the where the necklace lay.

"Your diamond heart belongs next to mine. Its perfect. Thank you! Now it's your turn."

Bella reached for her gifts to me with a shaky hand and placed them in front of me.

"As I said before, my gift is in two-parts, but really they both amount to the same thing. Open the top one, first."

I surprised myself with how excited I was to open Bella's gifts. I have seen this in people's thoughts, but the anticipation I felt was exhilarating. From the bouncing of Bella's knee, I believed she was excited as well. I tore off the paper and opened the box to find something completely unexpected but most welcomed.

"I think you can see why I giggled before, because I also worked with Rose on my gift as well." Bella took the ring from the box and slid it onto my right-hand ring finger. "I believe she had one of these made for everyone in the family as sort of a modern sign of solidarity."

I spun the ring around on my finger and smiled at Rose's scheming, and her new found sentimentality.

"Your ring, is a kind of promise ring as well. Edward, a few months back I asked you how us being together could work given me being human. I know you have been waiting patiently for my answer as to whether I would want to become a vampire. If you look on your ring, you will find an infinity symbol."

Bella paused and took both my hands in hers.

"Edward, Rose assured me you could easily see the encoded letters used to make up the infinity sign, even though I needed a magnifying lens. Those letters represent me, well at least the beginning part of my DNA. Also on the ring, besides the Cullen crest, is "per sempre", which is Italian for..."

"Forever," I whispered. What Bella was giving me was beyond anything I could have ever had hoped for, but what I most deeply wanted.

"Yes," Bella continued as she placed my hand over her heart. "Edward, I am giving you my mortal life. I want forever with you. I think I should finish high school, but shortly after that, I want to be like you."

"Truly?" I asked. "You will need to leave your current life behind. Family. Friends. You will never have a child of your own. Is it that what you truly want? I would never want you to regret this decision."

"Absolutely! Edward, I have spent the past few months thinking a lot about what I would loose and what I would gain by staying human or becoming immortal. I know that there will be sacrifices and challenges becoming like you, but what is most important is that we can stay together. The only thing I cannot lose is you. Sure, I will miss my family, but it is you that I do not...that I cannot…live without. I want more than just one lifetime."

I pulled Bella to me and held her close. I allowed her heat to warm my body while her words warmed my soul.

"I want that too, so very much. I wouldn't allow myself to hope or to plan for anything beyond your mortal life. But I agree. I want more than one lifetime. Thank you for the ring and wanting me. I love you, Bella. For so long I thought I would never have a future with someone. Now we'll have eternity together."

"Edward, it really wasn't much of a decision for me. I knew what my answer was going to be that night you told me what my options were. I just wanted to make sure I thought through what it meant. Immortality is not a concept that is easy to get your head around. And although a part of me will miss not being able to have children, I would only really want them with you. Someday, I will have to say goodbye to my Dad and my Mom, but it in all likelihood I would outlive them both anyway. Plus, my Dad knows and accepts what you are...what I will become...so I don't have to lose him for quite some time. Are you okay with waiting until after high school?"

I kissed her tenderly before cupping her cheeks in my hands.

"Bella, I would wait as long as you wanted, so waiting for for a couple of years is more than okay. Until that day, I will cherish each and every beat of your heart."

"Part of me just says to do it now, but I want to enjoy this time with my Dad and getting to know you more." Bella looked away sheepishly. "I am sorry I freaked a little bit when you mentioned that your parents got engaged on Christmas Eve. I know it must now seem a bit immature on my part that I would be shocked about marriage but ready to become immortal. But I have my reasons. I know you have mentioned before that after someone is changed into a vampire their human memories can fade or be spotty. Having you propose to me, and then walking down the isle to marry you, is something I want to remember for eternity. So, once I have been changed and I no longer want to eat our guests, I will look froward to receiving a different ring from you."

"You can count on it, love. Plus having my strength and stamina may be needed to curb Alice's wedding planning. She can be quite enthusiastic and over the top!"

Bella laughed heartily at the thought of Alice planning the wedding of the millennium. "Now, that I can believe! And you are right, I will need your super strength to keep her in check! God! Just shopping with her for..." Bella paused and blushed but finally continued. "Um...clothes...is orchestrated like a Broadway production."

Now I wished I had decided to forgo hunting last week and go shopping with the girls in Seattle. My mind was racing to think of what Bella could have been shopping for with Alice that caused her to blush at just the thought of it.

"Now, Edward, it is time for your second gift. But before you open it, I need human moment, okay?"

"Absolutely, love. Take all of the time you need. I will be waiting here."

Bella got up, grabbed her duffle, and went down to the bathroom. I forced myself to concentrate heavily on a music score I had been working on. I knew Bella was not quite comfortable taking care of her human needs around me, or really anyone in my family, given our heighten senses. While I hummed the melody in my head I gazed down at the ring Bella gave me. It's design had Bella, and to a certain extent, Rose, written all over it. Understated, thoughtful, and given the hybrid platinum alloy it was constructed of, nearly indestructible. The three gems were made of my human birthstone, but they were unlike any Alexandrite I had ever seen before. As I tilted it in firelight, the color of the stones changed from a cool bluish mossy green, to a warm raspberry tone; a unique trait of that gemstone. Given the amount of color change in the stones, Rose must have kept their true value hidden from Bella. Regardless of the monetary value, I loved how the stones reflected my existence. I once considered my life cold and blue. But now, I my life was warm and glowing.

I was pulled from my musings, by Bella leaning her head into the library doorway. "Edward, please open the second gift. Once you have it open I will come in."

For a long moment I looked at her in confusion.

"Please, just open the gift." She looked me directly in the eyes before jutting her chin out. Her gesture and determined gaze clearly telling me to just do as she said.

I ripped the paper away to find a plain white box with a handwritten note taped to the top. In Bella's distinctive script it simple said " _unwrap me_ ". I opened the lid of box and pulled back the tissue paper to find a navy blue silk and satin garment that left me stunned and speechless. Mouth agape, I held up the most sexy piece of lingerie I had ever seen.

"That's just the top," Bella said with a sexy smirk as she walked into the room wearing a short, silk robe in the same color as the sinful bra I held in my hands. "This Christmas I wanted to give you me, Edward. The first gift was my mortality. My second gift is...well...everything else. I want you, Edward. I'm ready and I think you are too. I want to make love to you."

I spent a moment reveling in the husky sound of her voice, and the erotic vision she presented with her sexy lingerie and her perfect words. An instant later I was standing before my goddess with my hands in her hair and my lips devouring hers. I wanted her just as much as she wanted me.

As we kissed, Bella's hands moved from my neck to the front of my shirt. With unsteady hands she undid the top button, but the next button would not cooperate. Before I could stop my exploration of her neck and mouth to help her remove my shirt, Bella solved the problem by ripping the it open, sending buttons and my sanity flying.

"Oops," she quipped before running her warm hands over my chest and shoulders. I moaned Bella's name as I kissed down her neck to the top of her robe. In the back of my lust fogged mind, a fragment of a question came to the forefront. I slowly pulled back the shoulder of Bella's robe just a bit, and licked the creamy flesh now exposed to me.

"Edward, mmmm, yes," Bella drawled out as a sigh.

"Bella?" I panted against her skin. "Where are the panties that go with that top you gave me?"

"You'll just have to unwrap me to find out."

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_

 _ **Tomorrow in the United States is Election Day! My Dad always said that if you are able to vote, but don't, then you are not allowed to complain. It doesn't matter if your beliefs lean left, right, or somewhere in the middle...please, go vote! Make your voice heard. Every election is important and every vote matters. And if do, then feel free to complain...you just earned the right to do so ;)**_

 _ **For the next couple of Friday's I will be missing my usual posting schedule. The reason being, I am completing a new chapter (or two) that will fit into the timeline around chapter 51. I think you will enjoy the new words!**_

 _ **Thank you again for reading and reviewing!**_

 _ **-Chris**_


	49. Chapter 49

~ Forks, Washington ‐ February 19, 2005 ~

"God, Edward!" Bella panted above me. "You're going to make me..." her words died away as she shook and rode out her release. A few final upward thrusts later I followed her with my own, chanting her name repeatedly.

Bella collapsed on top of me and kissed my chest right where my heart would have been feverishly beating when I was human.

In the past six weeks or so since Christmas Eve, except for the week she was away with Charlie in Canada - which tested my self control to not chase after her - Bella and I have been intimate every chance we have had. Whether it was at my cottage, my family's house, my car, her SUV, or even the supply closet at school, our need to connect with one another has been insatiable. The only place Bella and I have not been intimate has been at her house. The potential damage would be hard to explain away. On Christmas Eve, I broke my bed. Actually, broke is not accurate. I destroyed it. The piano up at the family house required significant repairs. At school, I crushed a supply closet storage unit containing paper supplies. And my poor car! Rose has had to source multiple Jaguar parts to hide our amorous activities. Even though the collateral damage has been costly, I have never once come close to hurting Bella. She may have received a few bruises from our activities, like the finger prints I could just see forming on her left breast, but instinctively I have always focused my strength away from the person I hold most dear. I was still diligent and mindful of her fragility, but I was not consumed with fear that I would hurt Bella.

"It's keeps getting better and better," Bella said with a sigh as she traced a symbol of a heart on my chest.

"That it does, love," I replied before kissing the top of head. "Just wait until you are like me. We won't have to stop for days, even a week or more."

"A week?" Bella asked with wide, incredulous eyes.

I just simply nodded. "It's something I am greatly looking forward to, my Isabella."

On Christmas Eve, I found out that Bella, loved it when I used her full first name while we were being intimate. Needless to say, I have be using it a lot lately.

"The family record is seven days," I continued. "I am sure we can best it."

Bella propped herself up on my torso sporting an impish smile. "Let me guess, Rose and Emmett?"

"Strangely no. It was Carlisle and Esme. It was just after her change, and, let me just say that after a few centuries of pent up vampire sexual energy, Carlisle took full advantage of Esme's newborn appetite."

I now could smile at the memory of those weeks, but given my gift, it was quite difficult to be around while it happened.

"Actually, Rose and Emmett believe they hold the record, which for them stands at six days. It has been an implied agreement between Esme, Carlisle, and myself to let them believe they own the title. However, I will not honor any such agreement when we take the crown!"

* * *

As I parked the car at my family house, Bella checked her appearance in the mirror before pulling her shirt away from her body to inspect the now human visible finger marks on her breast.

"I love that you marked me again. The ones from Valentine's Day have faded." Bella said as she released her shirt and smiled at me. "They're going to smell you all over me, aren't they?"

I could not stop my possessive and smug smile at that thought. "Yes, love. And everyone will smell you on me."

"Good! Tanya needs to know whom you belong to!"

Last week when Carlisle told me the news that our Denali cousins where coming for a visit, I knew I had to tell Bella my history with Tanya. I was honest and open about Tanya's long quest to have me. Bella's reaction caught me completely off guard, and figuratively blew my mind, as she proceeded to blow a much different part of my anatomy. It was during that _conversation_ that the piano up at the family house was damaged.

I grabbed Bella's hand and kissed her palm. She did smell like me and I liked it. "You know, there is nothing to worry about, Bella. You are my mate. I will only ever have eyes for you."

"Oh, I know," Bella replied as she returned the gesture and kissed my palm. "I can't mark you the same way you do me, so I am just glad _she_ will know that not only are you mine, but that I also just had you." With that comment still hanging in the air, Bella exited the car and greeted Rose and Emmett who both came out of the house clapping and grinning at Bella's bravado.

* * *

We were on the back patio enjoying the warmth of the lit fire pit when I picked up the thoughts of Denali's approaching through the woods. Ever since Bella and I had arrived back at home, I had been trying to get Alice to divulge any visions she has had about the Denali visit. Instead of information, all I could get from her thoughts were a constant retelling of _The Great Gatsby_ in Hindu. As we all stood, I could feel Bella tense up beside me for a moment before she slipped her hand into mine. Our connection seemed to help both our nerves, which was good because seconds later six other vampires were greeting us with hugs and hand shakes.

"Everyone," I announced to the assembled group, "I would you all to meet Isabella Swan, my mate."

Eleazar and Carmine approached and greeted Bella first, but I could barely focus on their greeting. Since their arrival, I had been using my gift to listen for Tanya. Her thoughts were hazy and muddled as she worked to protect her privacy. Next came Garrett and Kate, followed by Irina. Finally, Tanya approached. I still could not get a good read on her thoughts. Instinctively I moved slightly in front of Bella which caused the entire group to go silent. For a long moment Tanya looked at Bella and I. Her gaze shifted between our faces to our joined hands. Finally she looked around at our families and started to laugh.

"Really!" Tanya exclaimed. "Did everyone think I was going to do what? Attack her? Please, give me more credit than that!". The collective group relaxed a bit at Tanya's admission. Tanya expression turned deadly serious before adding, "She's human right? So she has to sleep sometime. It will be much easier to get to her then."

In a flash, Esme and Rose flanked Bella, while I kept her behind me. As I started to snarl at Tanya, her thoughts came into focus and I instantly relaxed.

"I'm kidding!" She cried out. "Goodness, I thought everyone would think it was funny!" Everyone looked at Alice and me to gauge the situation. We both smiled and nodded that everything was fine.

Tanya took a tentative step forward. "Bella, it is a pleasure to meet you. I am sure Edward has told you I've always been a little flirty with him."

"Flirty!" Emmett yelled out. "You practically jump him every time you see him!" Everyone stared at Emmett. "What? It's true!"

Tanya grimaced at Emmett's comment. "Emmett is correct. I have never been shy about showing Edward how attractive I found him. However, that is in the past."

Tanya paused and looked again at our joined hands. She kept her thoughts open to me and I could see she did not feel any malice towards Bella, only a bit of jealously.

"Bella, I am happy Edward has found you. From Kate and Carmen, I have often heard them talk of the power and beauty of mating. Maybe one day I will know it firsthand. Regardless, I know that any hope I once had that Edward and I could become more, will never be come to pass. I have accepted that for a while now. So please accept my congratulations. I wish you both an eternity of happiness."

I looked down at my Bella to find her looking up at me. I gave her slight nod to let her know that everything Tanya had said, she seemed to have meant.

"Thank you, Tanya. I hope that we will become good friends." Bella closed the distance between them and gave Tanya a hug, which, after a moment of surprise, she returned.

Before they pulled apart Tanya whispered into Bella's ear, "By the way, kudos on the sex smell. That is something I would have done. Nicely played. As payback, I hope you don't mind if I still ogle Edward's ass a bit."

Bella laughed as she released Tanya and slid in beside me. That is when I noticed that everyone was looking at me, specifically my posterior. Bella leaned back and stared at it as well, before looking up with a saucy grin.

"Well, it is a nice ass," Bella said before her and Tanya led everyone in round of laughter at my rear end's expense.

* * *

After the tense and humorous moments of my cousins arrival, we all settled into friendly groups of conversation. Carmen and Eleazar were talking with Carlisle and Esme about the house and surrounding potential hunting opportunities. Irina and Tanya were talking with Emmett, Rose, Alice, and Jasper about a different type of hunting, specifically if Forks had any promising males they could get friendly with.

That left Garrett, Kate, Bella and I together discussing everything that has happened since I met Garrett and Kate up in Canada last year. Eventually, Garrett and Kate got called over by Carmen, which meant I got Bella all to myself, at least for a few moments.

"I think I'm going to get cleaned up before my Dad arrives," Bella said as soon as we were alone. "I think I've proven my point enough for one day."

"Ok, let me walk you down to the cottage," I replied as I quickly stood.

"I was hoping you would," Bella cooed as she batted her eyes at me.

Before I could let everyone know we were leaving, Alice called over to us. "Charlie should be here in fifty-seven minutes. It would be wise not to take too long getting _cleaned_ up."

Bella blushed at the knowing look my family gave us both. However, I could care less. If we only had fifty-seven minutes, I wasn't going to waste a second more.

* * *

 _ **Author's Notes:**_

 _ **Only a short chapter this time...sorry. The new chapter I am working on that should be around chapter 51, has now become 2! After I get through those, I will be back posting on Mondays and Fridays again.**_

 _ **I wanted to make sure everyone was aware that, with regards to the main story timeline/flow, I am trying my best to stick to book/novel canon (although I know I have repurposed some of the movie dialog at times). Obviously lots has changed (that was the entire purpose of the story), but in mapping out the story and character arcs, I have tried to stay true to the books.**_

 _ **Thank you again for reading and reviewing!**_

 _ **-Chris**_


	50. Chapter 50

~ Forks, Washington - February 19, 2005 ~

Even with our abbreviated make out session, Bella was able to grab a quick shower before Charlie was to arrive. With a couple minutes to spare, Bella and I joined Carlisle and Esme out front and waited.

When Charlie found out that six vampires were going to visit, he asked for an introduction. He wanted to see for himself their golden eyes, as well as extract promises from the Denali clan that they will not cause any problems.

"Is Alice still blocking you?" Bella asked.

"Yes, and I hate when she does this." I said with clear annoyance. "I know something is going to happen, and I am sure it won't be bad, but I just hate not knowing."

"You mean you hate being like the rest of us non-mind reading creatures," Esme quipped. "Sometimes I think you rely on your gift too much, Edward. Perhaps that is why the fates have brought you Bella. With her, you will have no such advantage. It will be good for you be a bit clueless at times."

"I know I'm glad for it," Bella added. "It's bad enough with all of your super senses that personal privacy is almost non-existent." Bella blushed before adding almost as a whisper "I would be mortified if he could hear some of my thoughts."

Before I could inquire what could be so bad within her thoughts, the sound of Charlie's cruiser could be heard approaching.

Once parked, Charlie took a deep breath, checked that the safety and retraining strap were secure on his pistol, and exited the vehicle.

"Hello, Dad!" Bella called out. "Busy day at the station?"

After giving a quick hug to his daughter, Charlie replied, "Not too bad, no incidents besides Mrs. Lawrence calling to complain about the construction noise from the renovations going on across the street from her place, again."

I could see from Charlie's thoughts that Mrs. Lawrence had a long standing grudge against her neighbor, so she was calling daily to complain.

"Hello, Carlisle, Esme." Charlie greeted my parents before turning to me. "Hello, Edward. So have your cousins arrived?"

"They have," I answered. "They are all looking forward to meeting you."

"They are?". The chief look worried. "They aren't going to be upset that want to be convinced that they..." He paused trying to find the wording that would not insult them or my family as he knew everyone could hear us speaking.

"You have nothing to worry about," I quickly answered. "They understand that the level of trust you have placed on our family is unusual given what we are. They are also eager and hopeful to earn that same trust, and to show you that they respect human life as much as we do."

"You've met them, Bells?" Charlie asked.

"I have! They are all very nice. I think you'll like them. I know I do." She responded before leading Charlie away from the car.

Once in the house, we headed towards the family room where everyone was now assembled. Eleazar and Carmen where the first to approach Charlie.

"Chief Swan, my name is Eleazar and this is wife and mate, Carmen. Thank you for allowing us to introduce ourselves and to hopefully get to know one another."

Charlie shook Eleazar's hand but his gaze was fixed to the back of the room where Irina stood. Irina held his gaze for several seconds before a gasp escaped her lips. An instant later she ran out of the back of the house into the dense woods.

It took a moment for everyone to register what transpired. A dozen thoughts and questions flooded me instantly. All asking the same thing, " _what just happened?_ " I followed Irina's thoughts as she fled away. At first I was worried that Charlie was her singer, but once Irina cleared the wood line, I realized that he was something much different to her.

For the first time in two days within in my presence, Alice finally stopped reciting arcane texts, and sent me a pure thought. " _Surprise!_ "

Charlie was the first to actually speak. "Why did she run away? Did I do something wrong? " He reached out and grabbed my arm. "Edward, did I frighten her?"

"Is Chief Swan her singer?" Garrett asked. His confusion on what happened mimicked what most were thinking as what else could cause her to run away like she did.

"No," I answered. "he is not her singer." I needed to get Charlie away from everyone and talk to him about what happened.

Kate had already guessed correctly what had happened. She nudged Tanya before they both ran out after their sister. " _We'll see how she is doing, Edward. Please talk to Charlie._ " Kate thought as they raced away.

"Everyone," I announced. "Kate and Tanya will check on Irina. Alice, why don't you take everyone out back and explain what you should have, at least, let me know. It would have been nice to have been better prepared."

Alice stuck her tongue out at me before she motioned for everyone to follow her.

"Charlie, you stay here with Bella and I. I'll attempt to explain as best I can."

As everyone darted outside, Charlie turned to Bella. "Her name is Irina?" he asked. Bella nodded. Charlie now turned to me and asked, "Did I do something wrong, Edward? I heard the word _singer_ , what does that mean?"

"Singer means someone whose blood is nearly irresistible to a vampire. Their blood is like a siren song singing to them." Charlie frowned. He was not worried for his safety, but rather that the beautify woman felt she needed to run away from him. "But you are not her singer, Charlie."

I took a deep, unneeded breath. I was just about to start telling Charlie everything, when we heard Emmett's booming voice from outside. "Her mate?"

"Mate?" Both Charlie and Bella said in near unison.

"Yes, mate." I simply said. "Charlie, it appears that our supernatural world is full of surprises. And its latest twist of fate is that you are Irina's mate."

Charlie looked out the back door that Irina disappeared through.

"Then why did she leave?" He asked. Charlie's thoughts were bouncing between the concept of mating and why Irina just ran away.

"I can only guess at this point, Charlie, and I would rather not do that."

"You can't hear them?" He asked.

"No, Irina is very smart and she knows my gift has distance limits. I believe she and her sisters have purposely moved beyond my range so they can have some privacy."

Charlie nodded. "Should I go after her?"

"Charlie, can I ask you something?"

"You can, but I bet I can guess what the question is going to be. Am I feeling something for her as well?"

Both Bella and I nodded. Charlie rubbed his hands over his face. He was not a man who often talked about his feelings. Add in his general confusion over how Irina was doing, Charlie was an emotional mess.

"I was going to say, that don't know what I am feeling, but that is not true. I can't explain it, but ever since I saw her, I...she's..."

"Suddenly everything to you," Bella added. "You just know that she", Bella paused and looked over at me, "or he, is the only one that will make you feel complete."

Charlie nodded and looked back outside.

"It just makes sense. Not rationally. Obviously not rationally, because I haven't even spoken to her yet. But I feel it. I just know it. It's like I how feel about you, Bells, its..."

"Unconditional. Irrevocable. Destined." I added.

This time, Bella and Charlie both nodded in agreement.

Charlie was just about to ask if he should go find her, when Kate's thoughts came into range. My head snapped to the direction of the door as I held my hand up to Charlie to let him know I could now hear some thoughts.

 _"Edward, Irina would like to talk to you before she comes back. She wants Chief Swan to know she's fine, better than fine, I would have to guess, but troubled and confused. She needs your guidance."_

"I just heard from Kate, Irina's sister." I told Bella and Charlie. Chief Swan's head snapped up in anticipation. "Irina would like to speak to me before she comes back."

"Is she ok?" Charlie asked anxiously.

"She is still coming to terms with these events, but she wants you to know that she is ok."

"Will you tell her that I don't want her to stay away. Whatever is going to happen, tell her to come back and we'll figure this out together."

"Absolutely. And Charlie?" The chief took his eyes away from the open door to look at me. "I promised you once before that I would not divulge any thoughts you may have to others. That still holds, as well as the converse of that promise. Anything Irina tells me will stay between her and I. I think it is important that you two get a chance to work things out on your own without me, or Alice, or anyone else getting in the middle."

"Thank you, Edward." Charlie offered me his hand, which I gladly shook. "I never truly understood what Bella and you went through until now. To be honest a part of me thought it was all teenage hormones run amok. But I get it now. I'm happy you two have found each other. I couldn't ask for Bella to have found any better kind of happiness."

"Oh, Dad!" Bella cried before hugging her father tightly. I let them continue their moment in private as I ran out into the woods to meet with Irina.

* * *

It didn't take me long to find her. She was pacing while hugging her arms close to body.

"Edward!" She called out as I came into view. "Is he ok? Does he hate me? He must, I'm not good like him. I should leave and never come back. Once he knows about me...my past." Irina paused to look back toward the house. "I've been a shameless murdering succubus during my existence, and then I ran away when I should have stayed! He'll never want me!"

I wrapped an arm around Irina's shoulder and allowed her to purge her thoughts to me. A barrage of images assaulted me. Scenes that pre-dated her life with Eleazar and Carmen where she had hunted human males to have sex and then fed from them until the life drained from their eyes. Scenes from her vegetarian life where she and her sisters had pursued and had their way with human and vampire men. Finally, she allowed me to see what she went through upon seeing Charlie for the first time. The simultaneous shame, lust, and power of the mating bond caused her to run away. When she was done showing me everything, she paced away from me and waited for me to speak.

"Irina, you asked me if Charlie, is ok and if he hates you?" She looked at me expectantly waiting for me to tell he what would seal her fate. "He understands, or at least is starting to understand what is happening between the two of you."

Irina laughed dryly and shook her head. "That's good, because I am still befuddled by it."

"He, wanted me to tell you to come back so you both can figure this out together."

"So he mated with me as well?" She asked timidly. I was surprised how similar Charlie's and Irina's thoughts and confusions were to my own when I mated on Bella. Looking back, I could see everything so clearly, but at the time I was plagued with doubts.

"He has, Irina, and he is not upset or overly freaked-out by it. He's more troubled that he might have done something wrong to upset you. He saw his own daughter go through it with me this past year. So although these emotions and compulsion are a bit weird for him to go through firsthand, he has largely accepted it. As he would say of himself, he has always been good dealing with weird."

Irina laughed and for the first time I caught a glimmer of hope in her eyes and in her thoughts, before she backtracked into despair.

"But can he forgive all of my indiscretions? From what I have gathered he is a man that values right over wrong. I have done a lot of wrong in my existence. I've never been ashamed of what I am or what I've done, but suddenly all I see of myself is a succubus with a lot of blood on her hands."

"Irina, you have no reason to be ashamed. He knows what you are, meaning a vampire, and he largely accepts it. No one in my family has ever felt the need to tell him about your previous conquests with men. That is something I think would be best for you to explain. But he knows about my violent past and lives I took. He has looked beyond it. For a mate we will overlook almost anything, so I would just be honest with him. He likes honestly and he Is really good at knowing when someone is not being forthright."

"So he's a good man?"

"Yes, he is. One of the best men I have ever met."

"But's he's human! How is this going to work? Would he ever want to be like us? I can't stand the thought of losing him! After a thousand years I finally found my mate, I don't think I could stand watching him grow old and die!"

"I think those are things you will have to discuss with Charlie. He understands how someone becomes like us. And he has accepted that Bella will be joining me in immortality after she finishes high school."

Irina took several steps towards the house but then stopped.

"But how do you do it, Edward? Even now, I just want to run back and attack him…not in a harmful way! I mean, show him how much he means to me. But I could hurt him, or worse kill him, just trying to please him. My previous human conquests I either had already planned on killing them, or after I changed my diet, if they got injured or worse during sex, I just didn't care. But now!"

Irina ripped a tree from the ground and tosses it a hundred feet from us.

"Arrrggghhh! If I hurt him, it would destroy me! Tell me how you do it, please!"

"Irina, I can't guarantee what worked for me will work you. I had no sexual experience prior to Bella."

"Really? I mean the way Tanya use to talk, I figured at least you and her did some things together?"

I shook my head. "No, Tanya and I never did anything together. I was a completely inexperienced virgin. Bella was my first kiss, my first everything. We took the physical side of our relationship slow so I could learn how to channel my urges and strength away from Bella. You will at least have the advantage of knowing how certain acts make you feel and react. For me, it almost seems like I instinctively react in ways that keep Bella safe. All I can tell you is to go slow and be honest with Charlie. Trust him to tell you when he is uncomfortable with something or if something causes him pain. In fact, that one word...trust...is the biggest piece of advice I can give. Trust in your feelings and his, trust him to really know you and your past, and trust that everything will work out."

Irina paced a bit more mulling over my advice. After a few moments she set her shoulders and turned towards our property.

"Thank you, Edward. I needed your guidance and your sympathetic ear. Now, I think it is time we return so I can officially meet my mate. We have a lot to talk about. I just hope he'll not be disgusted by my past."

"You are welcome. If you ever want to talk, both Bella and I are here for your."

"Oh my god! I forgot about Bella! She's Charlie's daughter! What if she hates me? What if she..."

"Irina, stop!" I had to interrupt her fretting. "Bella already likes you and the rest of your family, including Tanya. Bella just wants Charlie to have someone in his life that loves and cares for him. Being his mate, you will be that person now, and she will admire and love you for that in return. Now let's get back. Charlie is not a patient man when he wants something."

We both started running towards the house. Soon we were within hearing range of our families, when Irina Suddenly stopped to listen to the conversation Charlie was having with Eleazar.

" _Eleazar, I know we just met and we do not know each other, and I suspect that Irina is her own independent woman, but as the figurative head of your family, I would like to ask your permission to be your daughter's...um, mate._ "

" _Irina is her own person and I would never get in the way of a mated pair of individuals, but I have a gift of being able to see potential in people. From you I see so many things. So many possibilities. But what is important today is that if you want my blessing you have it. Just treasure her like I treasure my Carmen, that is all I can ask._ "

" _I will try my damnedest to do just that, Eleazar. Thank you._ "

Irinia sighed. "He's kind of old-school, isn't he?" she asked. I just nodded my head in agreement before we ran the rest of the way to the house.

When Charlie finally saw Irina he smiled warmly at her. As he walked up to his mate he extended his hand.

"Hello, Irina, I'm Charles Swan, Charlie. It is a great pleasure to meet you."

Irina took Charlie's hand in hers. They both looked down at where they were joined as the mating bond took over all of their senses and emotions. "Hello, Charlie."

"Hi, I..." Charlie stopped and just gazed into her eyes. I knew that look he had. I didn't need to read his or her thoughts to know what they were experiencing. I felt the same when I looked into Bella's eyes the first time. I still feel the same way when I look at her.

"I've been waiting a millennium to meet you, Charlie Swan. Would you like to take a walk with me?"

"Yes, I would like that," Charlie answered as they walked hand-in-hand down towards the river. The fragmented vision I had seen in Alice's thoughts a few months ago was of this moment.

" _They needed to discover this on their own_ ," Alice told me in her thoughts. I glanced back to the house to see Alice and Jasper looking out the window. All I could do was just nod in agreement.

During Charlie's and Irina's meeting, Bella had come to stand by me. As we watched them continue down the path, I wrapped my arms around her and held her close.

"How are you doing with all of this, love?" I asked.

She spun in my arms to face me. "Oh, Edward, I couldn't be happier! I mean, I'm shocked. Who wouldn't be? I just wanted Dad to be happy, and he clearly is. Plus, do you know what this means?" I shook my head. "I get to keep him and you, forever!" Bella ended her exclamation with a quick kiss to my lips.

I could read from Charlie's thoughts that he had already accepted that at some point he would become like Irina. It did not take him long to understand that one lifetime would not be enough to get to know his mate.

"I believe you will, my love. I am happy for you, and I am happy for Irina and Charlie."

I was also happy for me. Charlie was more than just Bella's father to me. He was friend and a person I greatly admired. I would get to keep him as well.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note**_

 _ **Happy Thanksgiving and Black Friday!**_

 _ **Even before I came up with the idea for this story, I had this chapter mapped out (sort of). I never subscribed to the theory that Irina and Laurent were mates and unlike movie canon, Charlie and Irina never met in the books. Plus since I saved Harry Clearwater a few chapters back, I needed to give Charlie a little something! I hope you like the Charlie and Irina pairing. Plus who doesn't want to see a vampire Charlie!**_

 _ **I am working on a couple of new chapters that are nearly finished (it's actually just one really long chapter that broke up into two). They will be up next. Any guesses as to what they may be?**_


	51. Chapter 51

~ Forks, Washington - March 31, 2005 ~

The students of the Forks School District had the week after Easter off, and the break had been highly anticipated by the student body. It was also perfectly timed for Charlie and Irina to get married. Since the day Irina and Charlie had found out they were mates, the two of them had been nearly inseparable. Irina never returned to Alaska and had moved in with Charlie and Bella. A week later, Charlie proposed to Irina. Neither one of them wanted a large wedding, but that didn't stop the my family and the Denalis from planning something beautiful and memorable. The weather had been uncharacteristically free of rain and sunny, so an evening wedding was planned. Over the course of the last month, Alice had directed our families with the precision of a military commander to transform my family's backyard into a wedding wonderland. We were all thankful that the day of the wedding was finally upon us.

Overall, the guest list was kept small, with both humans and vampires in attendance. On the vampire side, it would just be my family, along with the Denalis and Garret. For the humans, Reverend Weber would be officiating the ceremony. Charlie had invited his deputies, Mark and Brad, along with their wives, as well as Betty, and his longtime friend, Waylon. He also invited Billy Black, as well as Harry and Sue Clearwater, but they all declined to attend. In fact, since Billy and Harry were made aware that Charlie and Irina were mates, they have refused to speak to him. This upset Charlie, but his allegiance was wholly and happily with Irina.

Irina and Charlie spent their only night away from one another the previous night to preserve the tradition of the groom and bride not seeing each other the day of the wedding. This made both of them quite anxious and irritable. With Irina being sequestered at my family's house, the vampire women decided to go on an overnight hunt together, before spending the afternoon getting Irina ready. Charlie refused to allow the men to fuss over him. He and Bella had an early lunch at the diner, then after he dropped Bella off at home, he went to his longtime barber for a trim and a shave.

I was on my way over to Charlie and Bella's house, where I would hang out with Bella until the ladies got back from their hunt, then she would drive over to help get Irina ready. After Charlie was back and dressed, I would deliver him to the wedding. As I drove through town, I caught Charlie's thoughts at his barber shop. His trim and shave were nearly done. Several times this morning, he had been congratulated by residents on his upcoming nuptials. Almost everyone in Forks universally liked Irina and were happy for the both of them. The only exceptions being Charlie's La Push friends and a few women who had been crushing on Charlie for some time.

I kept driving and as I got closer to his house, I was shocked to hear the thoughts of Harry Clearwater, along with Billy and Jacob Black. They had just arrived at the Swan residence, where they hoped to have a conversation with Charlie and Bella about their involvement with Irina and myself. They knew Charlie was getting married later and they figured this was their last opportunity to save him from making a deadly and unforgivable mistake.

Bella had just let them know that Charlie was not home and if they wanted to speak to him, he could found at the barber shop. However, she warned them that if their plan was to repeat their previous insults, then they should just head back to the reservation and let her Dad enjoy his day. Billy and Harry got back in their truck to go see Charlie, while Jacob stayed behind to talk to Bella.

I pressed the gas pedal to the floor and raced as fast as I dared towards my mate. I would be damned if I was going to allow Jacob to be alone with her. I wanted my arrival at Bella's to be a surprise for Jacob, so I did not want Harry and Billy to see me approaching and delay their plans by retrieving Jacob too soon. Just before they would have passed me, I turned down a side road. After a couple of turns, I had successfully eluded them and was back on the road heading toward's Bella's house. As I approached, I heard the thoughts of Sam Uley, who could now shape-shift into his wolf form. He was in the woods behinds Bella's house pacing back and forth. He was there to ensure nothing untoward happened should Irina or myself be at the house. I could also hear Bella speaking to Jacob at the front door. She was not allowing him into the house as he requested.

"Jacob, you really should have gone with your Dad and Mr. Clearwater. This really isn't the time for a chat about how you don't like mine or my Dad's current life choices. Besides, I am expecting Edward to be here soon." Bella glanced down to the road just as I pulled up to the house. The smile I received from her let me know she was glad I had arrived. "In fact, he's here now!"

Jacob turned and swore under his breath when he saw me. "What's he doing here?"

I exited the car and walked past him. "Nice to see you too, Jacob." I said as I turned towards Bella. "Hello, love! I leave you alone and the wolves descend." I said playfully before giving her a quick kiss on her forehead and wrapping my arm protectively around her waist. Bella gave me a coy little smile before wrapping her arm around me as well. Off in the distance I heard Sam Uley howl at my mention of wolves, while Jacob scowled not only at my comment, but also at how I kissed Bella.

Bella heard Sam's howl and looked back over her shoulder in surprise. "What the hell was that!"

"Jacob brought backup just in case I decided to break him or the treaty," I said. Given the malice in Jacob's thoughts towards me and the yearning he felt for my mate, I no longer saw the need to be cordial with him or Sam. Carlisle may wish I would act more diplomatic, but I just couldn't find it in me. Any goodwill my family gained by helping Harry Clearwater last fall had seemed to vanish once they learned about Charlie and Irina.

"Bella, can I just talk to you for a few minutes," Jacob asked before looking at me in disgust. "Privately," he added. Jacob felt honor bound to let Bella know that my family were dangerous monsters. Given that I wanted some alone time with Bella before Charlie got back, I decided the quickest way to get rid of him was to just let him speak to Bella. I would remain close by should he decide to upset her.

"The pup is not going to leave until he says his peace," I told Bella. Jacob obviously knew about my family and about his tribe's ability to shape shift, although Jacob was not able to phase into a wolf…yet. Calling him a pup really got under his skin, which of course was my intent.

Bella looked up at me with a concerned look before understanding that the only way Jacob was going to leave was if he could say what he wanted to say.

"I'll go out back and keep his pet company while he explains how terrible my family is for you and your Dad." My final remark elicited a nasty snarl from Sam. Bella's arm around my waist tightened. She did not want me to leave. "It will be ok," I told her before kissing her forehead again.

As I stepped away, Bella grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze. "Be careful," she told me with a concerned look. It was then I realized she wasn't worried about being left alone with Jacob, but rather she was worried that I was going to be alone with Sam.

I smiled and I gave my brave and loving mate's hand a squeeze back. "I promise to play nice as long as they do. Who knows, may be Sam will want to play fetch." I told her.

As I walked by Jacob, he tried to knock me off balance with his shoulder. However, given my superior strength and overall body density, his effort only caused him to nearly lose his balance and fall over. While he righted himself, I gave him my best a sinister smirk. "If you know what's best," I told him. "I would try to not piss her off."

"I'm not afraid of you!" Jacob hissed back at me.

I laughed at him before nodding back towards Bella. "It's not me you need to be afraid of," I replied with a quick wink towards Bella. I then walked around to the back of the house and sat on the stacked firewood Charlie had out by the woods. Sam approached from behind but stayed hidden in the trees. He sniffed the air heavily and snarled as he caught my scent.

"You stink just as bad to me, mutt" I told him honestly. Sam barked and snarled several times, but I knew he wouldn't come any further, so I ignored his little tantrum.

Inside the house, Bella led Jacob into the family room, but made sure she positioned herself as far away from him as possible. They both heard Sam's displeasure with me. Bella looked out the window to make sure I was ok. I caught her glance and gave her a thumbs-up gesture before blowing her a mock kiss. She smiled and mouthed "I love you" before turning to Jacob.

"Let's make this quick," she told him. "You probably don't want to be here when my Dad gets back. He and I are still both pissed that you went into my room."

I had to smile at the ashamed thoughts and embarrassment Jacob currently felt. He literally winced at the memory of what had happened.

In January, Billy Black and Jacob came over to watch the Seahawks final regular season game. Bella was not home at the time, as she spent the afternoon doing homework with Angela and Alice. Every time she knew Jacob was coming over, she placed a strand of Christmas bells on the back of her bedroom door. She did not trust him to not go into her room. She was wise to do so, because during the third quarter of the game, Jacob excused himself to use the bathroom. A few moments later, Charlie heard the bells on Bella's door jangle. To say that Charlie was upset that Jacob would invade Bella's privacy would be an understatement. He was furious. When the dust settled, Billy was still welcomed, but he forbade Jacob to come over to the house.

The fact that Jacob did not know until now that Bella also knew what he had done, made this even more entertaining for me.

After a long moment, Jacob squared his shoulders and pushed away his shame. He had a job to do. "I know what they are," he finally said. "The Cullens and the others. They're…"

From Jacob's thought I could see the arch of Bella's brow challenging him to continue. He paced back and forth a few steps before continuing. He was warring with himself on how to say what was on his mind.

"They're vampires, Bella!" He said with a sneer. "How can you stand being by them? Stand having him touch you? And your Dad is going to marry one of them!"

"My Dad and I know exactly what they are!" Bella spat back. " They are loving, considerate, loyal, and tolerant. Human or not, they are good and kind people. And you know as well as I do, they do not feed from humans."

"You said it right there, Bella. They're not humans!" Jacob paced some more. He was getting agitated and upset. If didn't calm down, I was going to put a stop to this conversation very quickly. "God! How can you and Charlie not see this! How can you not see that they have you fooled! They may not currently drain humans, but they have killed people, Bella! And they will do it again! It's in their nature! They're undead, blood sucking, leaches! That's who and what they are!"

Bella took a deep breath before she walked to the front door and opened it. "If that is all you have come to say, then it's best that you leave. Now."

Jacob lowered his head. He could not understand how Bella and Charlie could be so blind and stupid to not see us as monsters. He started walking towards the open door before stopping.

"We use to play together. Do you remember that?" He asked. "We were friends. I always thought someday we'd…Bella he can't give you a real life." Jacob reached out and touched Bella's hand that was holding the door open. "Do you feel that warmth. He can't give you that, but I can. You have a choice. Charlie has q choice. My tribe can protect you and Charlie."

I instantly saw red and jumped up from my seated position. He wanted my Bella to be his! He had been dreaming and perversely fantasizing about her for years. Once he learned of the wolves and how they imprint on their eternal match, Jacob wanted Bella to be his imprint, although he was not yet a wolf and he was disheartened that Bella seemed unaffected, if not outwardly displeased by his presence.

From behind me, Sam Uley snarled at my sudden movement. I hissed right back at him. If he attacked, Sam would quickly find out that not only was I a lot faster, but that I was easily strong enough to break more than few of his bones. To demonstrate my point, I picked up a log from the wood pile and tore it down the middle, before pulverizing each half in my fingers. Sam pulled back a step into the woods. He was told we were strong by the elders, but this was the first time he experienced it himself.

Before I could take a step towards the house. Bella pulled her hand from Jacob's grip as she reached behind her and felt for something on the small hall table near the door. And instant later, Bella held up the canister of pepper spray Charlie had given her. She pointed it directly at Jacob's face as she backed away from him.

"If you touch me again, you're going to find out what it feels like to get sprayed with this," Bella hissed.

Jacob stood in shock. The canister of pepper spray was only a foot or so away from his face. Through his thoughts, I could see Bella's finger twitch overtop of the trigger mechanism. I was not ashamed that a part of me really wanted Bella to pull the trigger.

Jacob struggled for a moment with what to do. His attraction to Bella fought against his better judgement. He glanced between Bella and the pepper spray before he slowly raised his hands. After and long moment, Bella lowered the pepper spray, but still held it so it could be used at a moment's notice.

"Jacob, you need to give up this fantasy you have about us being together," Bella said in a commanding voice. "Let me make this clear to you. It. Will. Not. Happen. Ever!" Bella paused to allow her words to sink in. They stabbed at Jacob like a knife. "I want you to leave. If you don't, Edward will make sure that you do. If I say the word, he'll be in here like…" Bella finished by snapping her fingers together.

Jacob glanced towards the back of the house with a frown. He had forgotten what he was told about our enhanced senses, although he doubted it would have changed what he had said or done. He came by to make her see reason and to make her see him as a man, but that all failed. Now, Bella only looked at him with disgust. Instead of improving her opinion of himself, Jacob actually made it worse. If his previous thoughts about Bella were not so perverse, I might have been tempted to actually feel sorry for him. However, my patience was at its end with Jacob and Sam.

Bella nodded pointedly at the door. He opened his mouth to make a final plee, but Bella shook her head looked away from him. Finally accepting defeat, Jacob looked at Bella one final time, before leaving the house. As he walked down the street, anger and contempt for me and Irina ruled his thoughts. Sam snarled and barked at me one more time before following Jacob through the woods. They both hoped Billy and Harry had more luck with Charlie.

With them gone, I darted into the house and wrapped my arms around Bella.

"Are you ok, love?" I asked.

"I am now." Bella sighed and leaned into me. "He really is delusional if he actually thought I would be into him! Even if I wasn't irrevocably in love with you, I would never pick him!" Bella shuddered in my grasp. The idea of Jacob and Bella together was beyond repulsive to me, and I was very glad Bella felt the same.

"I think he is starting to realize that, or at least he better come to that understanding. I would hate to have to explain to Carlisle that the treaty was broken by me tearing Billy Black's son to shreds."

Before we could say anything more, my phone rang with Alice's ring tone. With a sigh, I answered. "Hello, Alice. What's up?"

"Edward, I don't know how to explain his, but you just disappeared from my visions for about ten minutes. What's going on?"

"What do you mean, I disappeared?" I asked in confusion. I thought about what just transpired. "Did Bella also disappear? How about Charlie?"

"No, I could still see Bella and Charlie," Alice replied. "It was just you that I lost the ability to see. I saw the Quileutes visting. Jacob Black staying. You arriving, then nothing. What did you do?"

I thought about it for a second before it all clicked. "Alice, Sam Uley was here in wolf-form. He was in the woods behind Bella's house."

"I know, I saw everyone's reaction to him when you arrived, but didn't see any visions of him," Alice added.

"I was standing about ten yards away from him during your black out." Bella was following our conversation and gasped at the implications of what I just said. "I think the wolves may somehow be able to short circuit your gift." Through the phone I could hear Jasper and Emmett curse. I agreed with their sentiment.

I paused and thought over the implications of this revelation, as I was sure Alice and my family were doing the same. My gift still worked, but somehow Alice's did not. We would have to be cautious with the wolves. Currently it was only Sam Uley, but from his thoughts I was able to see that another Quileute had started the process of gaining the ability to shape-shift. Our continued presence in the area would mean more would follow, including Jacob. If Alice lost her visions for anyone near a wolf, we would need to take care to stay away from them. I was sure this epiphany would be heavily discussed within my family in the coming days and weeks.


	52. Chapter 52

~ Forks, Washington - March 31, 2005 ~

Before hanging up, Alice let me know that the girl's hunt was over so Bella could come out to help Irina get ready. That was thirty minutes ago. I spent my time alone contemplating the Quileutes on many levels. Their displeasure with Charlie and Bella being mated to vampires was not unexpected, but now that it seemed that Alice's gift could be compromised by their shape-shifted presence, perhaps an early departure from this area would be prudent.

I pushed that from my head when I picked up Charlie's soft thoughts. Harry and Billy had found him. A scene similar to what happened here at the house played out in the parking lot of the barber shop. Now that he was close enough to the house to be in range of my gift, Charlie forced himself to go through the entirety of the vitriol and insult laced conversation for my benefit. Given that they could not change Charlie's mind about Irina, they forbade him and Bella from entering reservation lands. Charlie had let them know, in no uncertain terms, that as the Chief of Police, he had jurisdiction over the reservation, so he would come and go as he pleased. Although, he hoped it would not be necessary anytime soon because he currently had no desire to see or speak to them. Some of the things Harry and Billy said regarding Irina and my family really upset Charlie. He now doubted his friendship with them could ever be repaired.

" _So there you have it, Edward,_ " Charlie thought as he pulled into the driveway of the house. " _I hope you heard everything because I do not wish to discuss it any further._ "

A few moments later he entered the house. Despite his haircut and shave, he looked like a weary man.

"Jacob was here?" He simply asked as he looked around for some sign of destruction or maiming. Charlie was feeling pretty raw so I decided to give him an abbreviated, but unfiltered account of what happened.

"He was," I replied. "He called Irina and my family names. Then he tried to convince Bella he was better boyfriend material than me. She refused and nearly pepper sprayed him." Charlie raise his brow at that statement. He secretly would have liked to see that, he was also proud of her. So was I. "I managed to not tear him apart before he left. Oh, and Sam Uley was here too, he's a wolf now."

Charlie had heard from his former friends about Sam's change. He could not really envision how large the Quileute wolves were, but ultimately that didn't matter. He simply did not like the idea them being around Forks, and he especially hated that one of them was near his daughter.

"You don't have to worry, Charlie. He never left the woods and I stationed myself between him and Bella. I knew she could handle Jacob, but a wolf, the size of a small horse…I didn't want to chance her safety."

" _Thank you_ ," he said mentally as he walked into the kitchen. He opened the refrigerator and pulled out a beer. He walked back into family room and dropped down into his recliner. He pulled the tab on the can, before closing his eyes and taking a a deep drink of the beverage.

"Christ, I needed that," He wheezed. He opened his eyes and motioned to the beer. "I'd offer you one, but…"

"I'm a vampire?" I teased.

"I was going to say underage, but that is not really true, is it." I shook my head as he took a another sip. "Edward, can I ask you something?"

"Sure. You can ask me anything," I replied. I knew he was troubled by many things. Only some of which was his meeting with his Quileute friends that morning. He knew I could see his worries, but he was glad I was going to allow him to get to them at his own pace. He wasn't ready to ask what he truly wanted, so I let him continue with his diversion question.

"I have often wondered about your gift. It seems like something great, but I imagine it is not easy to live with. It couldn't have been easy to hear Jacob's thoughts earlier. What's it like knowing everyone's darkest secrets?"

"You're correct, it's not easy to live with. I can't turn it off." I paused to think how I could make it relatable to Charlie. "Its similar to what you experience in a room full of people all talking at one time. You can hear the noise of the chatter, and if you wanted to, you can focus on specific conversations and hear them. Its the same for me, but the room covers a couple of miles, and I hear the thoughts going through their mind. You'd be surprised how much a human thinks in a short amount of time. Vampires even more so. It can be maddening. Also, my vampire memory will not allow me to forget what I've heard. Plus, I often feel guilty about invading everyone's privacy. Believe, me! There is a lot of mental ramblings I don't want know and wish I could forget! Even someone as reserved and staid as Reverend Weber has private musings that…well, you get the idea."

Charlie gave me a sad smile. In a small way he could relate. As police chief, he was privy to a lot of personal details, failings, and debauchery of the, generally, good people of Forks.

"The only way I can stop it is by removing myself from the noise," I added. I decided to pivot the conversation back to what was really bothering Charlie. "Bella is the only one I have ever met that is immune to my gift, and I am thankful for it. Esme believes vampire mating is about finding the one soul that gives you what you need the most. Two mated individuals, sometimes seemingly opposite or contrary in personalities, together are complementary, interconnected, and interdependent. Yin and Yang, as it were. Bella has a courage and feistiness I generally lack. Her compassion for others is unwavering, and she is intelligent and savvy beyond her years. Plus, unlike anyone else, her silent mind continuously surprises me and keeps me off balance. Since I've met her, I realized how much I rely on my gift and how jaded I had become around people because of that. Simply put, I need Bella."

Charlie gave me his first real smile since he arrived at the house. "Nicely played, Edward. You gave me an easy segue." He paused for another sip as he gathered his thoughts. "Bella's mother, Renee, and I were opposites. I think in many ways we both expected that each other would eventually change. And for a while, I did, at least somewhat. Then Bella came along. I focused on becoming the best provider I could, which meant I gave up some of my more reckless habits. Which if I am being honest, I was happy to do. I knew Renee was a free spirit and I tried to make myself more like her, in the hope she would not get bored with me. The man she thought she married wasn't really me. For her part, Renee tried to fit into the role of a house wife. But that was never for her. In the end, our differences were what drove us appart."

Charlie paused and took a long swig of beer.

"I'd be a fool to not see that Renee and Irina share some some similar traits. I guess I am just worried that Irina will get bored with me like Renee did. I know what you have said about mating and how absolute it is. And I feel that way. This is absolute. Its permanent for me. And this is not me having cold feet about marrying Irina. It's not. I can't wait for us to be married. I know my worry is probably stupid and irrational, but its a worry I have."

Charlie got up and went into he kitchen and got a new beer. He was never one to be comfortable speaking about his feelings, but somehow I was the only one he felt comfortable speaking to about this, besides Irina of course. When he returned he sat back down and took a another sip.

" _This is my last can, I promise. 'Rina will be pissed if I show up to marry her drunk._ " Charlie relayed in his thoughts with a slight smirk on his face. " _Ok, I'm ready to hear how this is all in my head and I have nothing to worry about._ "

"Charlie, only some of that is in your head, but your are right, you don't have anything to worry about." I couldn't help but give Charlie a smirk back. I could tell he felt better just being able to voice his concern. He really didn't need a pep talk, but I was not opposed to giving him one.

"I don't know Renee, except for what I have learned from both you and Bella." I thought it was best to leave out the bits of information I gathered when I briefly met her in Phoenix. "I do agree that Irina and Renee share a propensity for being impulsive. But in a lot of other ways, they are very different. From what I have been able to surmise, Renee can be a selfish person. Now I know we all can be a bit selfish from time-to-time. That's only natural. However, all too often, Renee places her wants and needs above those around her. Bella has commented that as she got older, she felt more like the parent than the child."

In Charlie's thoughts he agreed with my assessment, including that Bella was forced into carrying more responsibility than he liked because of Renee's flighty and sometimes absentee parenting.

"In this regard, Irina and Renee are very different. Before you came into her existence, she was independent, but also extremely loyal and committed to her sisters, as well as Eleazar and Carmen. Yes, she can be impulsive, but once she commits to something, she will see it's through. And she is not opposed to listening to reason, at least eventually." Charlie smirked and nodded his head in agreement. In his mind Irina could be stubborn, but also rational.

"Plus, I have never known her to unfairly put her desires before her family's. Now any relationship, regardless if it involves mating or not, will require some compromise. You have seen the mated couples in my family in the best possible light. To an outsider it would seem that they never get upset or quarrel, but that is not the case. Rose and Emmett are the most prone to have a disagreement, but the other couples are not immune to the occasional argument. Luckily, the mating bond makes these periods of unrest short in duration and they are typically followed with some extended amorous activities."

Charlie blushed a little thinking of how the couple of disagreements he and Irina have had ended rather passionately. He also thought about what I said about compromise and how that related to what caused the arguments they've had. Really it was only one argument, that they had on multiple occasions. They couldn't seem to resolve to core issue, at least to Irina's satisfaction. Because I could see both of their thoughts concerning the matter, I knew that the solution was not an easy one for either to compromise on.

"Charlie, I know it is not my place to get involved in your relationship with Irina, but I did want to tell you that I have seen both of your views on you remaining the Chief of Police. Actually, Irina has asked me to talk to you about it, but I told her I only would only do so if you were comfortable speaking with me on the subject. I also told her, I would not advocate her side over yours, only just provide my opinion should you desire it."

Charlie sighed and then drank some of his beer. He knew Irina was unhappy with him, which bothered him on many levels, including that the fact that he knew she was, at least to a certain extent, right in her position.

"Edward, I know that everyday I go into the station there is a certain amount of risk that I undertake." Charlie reached into his pocket and pulled out the flattened bullet from the Mitchell barn incident. "This reminds me how unpredictable life can be and how quickly things can go south. But, I've been in the Forks PD pretty much my entire adult life. It's not just what I do to earn a paycheck, it's part of who I am. I am sure you know, but once Bella graduates and everything is set for her change, I am going to have Irina change me. So I only have another eighteen months or so of being a police officer. I've promised 'Rina that I'd be extra careful. I now always wear the vest when I am on a call, and I am being extremely cautious and aware on traffic stops. Believe me, Edward. No one wants me to get through the next year and half alive more than I do."

"Listen, Charlie, we all appreciate the extra caution you are taking, especially Bella and Irina. However, did you know that Irina has started following you when you are out on calls?"

Charlie shook his head and squeezed the flattened bullet. "She does?" He asked rhetorically. "Well that explains a few things. Like why some days she no longer calls to check up on me." Charlie thought about this for a moment. "In fact, she now only calls on sunny days, which I am guessing, are the ones she can't easy be out in public ghosting me. What else has she been doing?"

"She has Alice monitoring her visions for any mishaps that may come your way. And she has asked Carlisle to keep an eye out for any changes in your health. Also, should anything happen to you, she has given everyone in the family the directive that you should be changed immediately."

"I knew about that one," he told me. "I assume you have asked the family to do the same for Bella as well?"

"I have. In fact, I have also asked Alice and Carlisle to keep their eyes out for Bella. Charlie, I'll be honest with you. I may not show it outwardly as much as Irina, but Bella's and your health are always one of my top concerns. I know you both don't like to hear it, but you both are very fragile. When Bella had the flu in January, I was out of my mind with worry. Spanish influenza is what took my parents lives. It's what would have taken my life if Carlisle had not stepped in and changed me. Even when I was not by her side, I was just outside in the woods and I would have changed her immediately if her vitals dropped beyond a certain level. Also, I have been known to follow Bella as well. Not here in Forks, but last week when she went to Port Angles with Angela, I ghosted them the entire time." I paused for a moment. "Um, She doesn't really know about that."

Charlie huffed in annoyance over what he felt was our family and Irina treating him and Bella like children, but weight of the bullet in his hand pushed those thoughts away.

"Charlie, we know you and Bella are not children, but you two are Irina's and mine mates. We would do anything to ensure no harm comes to either of you. We can't really help ourselves. If you knew Irina was going to do something that put her at risk, would you be worried? Would you want to be with her just so you could help in anyway you possibly could? Would you do anything in your power to make sure no harm comes to her?"

"Yes!" Charlie's answer was immediate. He did not need to think it over. If the roles were reversed he would have done the same, and likewise, he would have asked for my family's intervention. "Yes, I would."

"Also, you know after this evening, your don't really need to work. Irina is a wealthy woman in her own right."

Irina's human family was very well off as compared to her contemporaries. About twenty years after she was changed, Irina's last human relative died. There were no other living heirs, so Sasha, Irina's creator, helped her secure and hide away her family's fortune. Over the centuries her wealth has grown even further. She has never been overly materialistic, but she does enjoy some of the baubles and experiences her money can buy her.

Charlie raised his hand to stop me. "Edward, I know all of that. She has shown me her bank statements and told me about the vault she has in Switzerland with her family's treasures. To be honest, and I know I will sound like a Neanderthal, but I am uncomfortable allowing my wife to support me."

I opened my mouth to try to explain to Charlie that we were all wealthy. Some of us very wealthy. So it shouldn't be a concern of his. However, Charlie shook his head and gave me a stern look.

"Stop! I know what you are going to say, because 'Rina and I have already discussed it. Believe me, she has let me know that my thinking is antiquated and chauvinistic. I will come to terms with that part of my wife's life. It will just take me some time. And I will think about the work situation. However, it's not just about me. Mark will make a fine Chief of Police and Brad is very capable. But another deputy will need to be hired and trained. I'd rather not add more work on Mark and Brad by just leaving without having a transition plan in place."

"Fair, enough." I told him. Charlie's arguments were not without some merit as well, and I did not want to upset him. "But, let me just add, that Irina does understand your devotion and loyalty to your career. She really does. She respects it and loves you for it, but her perception is a bit different. She's been without a mate for over a thousand years, and you have become the most precious thing in her existence. So try not to get upset if she hovers or continues to ghost you while you are working. It's how she is coping with your current state of humanity. Once you have been changed, I think you both will be more at ease with each other."

 _Just like I will be able to relax and not worry so much about Bella after her change._

"Now enough of this," I said as I glanced at my watch. "I have strict orders to make sure you are dressed and at the wedding on time!"

* * *

Charlie looked in the mirror at his bow tie. He had been practicing for two weeks on how to tie it properly, and it paid off. He was happy with the results after the first attempt. Charlie then looked around for his cuff links, but he could not find them.

"You wont't find them, Charlie," I said from the doorway to his room. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a small box. "Here, these are from Irina," I told him as I handed him the box.

Charlie looked at the box for a moment before he opened the lid. Inside were a pair of custom made cufflinks.

"Irina wanted me to surprise you with those. She had them made just for you."

Charlie traced the cuff links with his fingers. Each had his initials in gold against a background of tiny blue sapphires. He pulled the links from the box and smiled when he saw the inscription engraved on the back of each. One said "My Forever", while the other had "My Love". His fingers trembled slightly with emotion as slipped and secured one, then the other, into the cuffs of his shirt. Charlie's mind then drifted to his wedding gift to Irina.

"Bella texted me a few minutes ago that she gave Irina your gift," I quietly told him. He looked over at me expectantly, so I handed my phone over to Charlie so he could read Bella's texts himself.

 _"Tell Dad I gave Irina the necklace. She loved it! Swoon!"_

 _"She said 'It's perfect! Just like Charlie, I will treasure it forever!'"_

 _"Now she has something blue to wear, however Alice wasn't surprised…hmmm ;)"_

 _"I'll see you both soon!"_

A goofy little grin crossed Charlie's face as he re-read Bella's text messages. Shortly after they became engaged, he had envisioned the gift he wanted to give to Irina on their wedding day, but the sole jewelry store in Port Angeles did not have anything like it. They told him what he wanted was not consistent with modern jewelry trends and they doubted he would find something new that matched what he wanted. That afternoon, Alice met him at the police station and showed him a picture of a necklace that was exactly what he wanted. It was an antique sapphire lavalier gold necklace from 1930. It was being sold at an small estate auction house in New York. Together, they called the auction house, where Alice talked circles around the poor jewelry manager until he finally agreed to sell it to Charlie a very reasonable price.

After he handed the phone back to me, Charlie looked at himself one more time on the mirror. His eyes drifted to the cufflinks and he smiled. He was happy they would both have something blue to wear.

* * *

"Holy shit!" Charlie cursed under his breath when he saw how my family's backyard had been transformed into an outdoor wedding dreamland that any bride would be envious of. He had sat through Alice's many wedding planing meetings over the past few weeks, but his mind often wandered when she started getting into the minutia. All he really cared about was that when it was over, he and Irina would be husband and wife.

"You really should have paid more attention, Charlie," Alice teased as she approached the both of us. "Here you need this," she said as she attached Charlie's boutonniere. She looked Charlie over with a critical eye before she caught sight of his cuff links. She squealed as she raised his sleeves to inspect them. "You two are going to look so good in the pictures! Perfect!" Then as quickly as she appeared, she flitted away to check on the flower placement.

Charlie shook his head as he watched Alice retreat.

"Don't worry Charlie, the worst is over." Emmett said before giving Charlie light pat on the back. "Take it from me. I've been through this three times, and two of those were 'Alice' weddings." Emmett used fingers quotes to emphasize our sister's name as if it were an adjective. "Just do and go where Alice tells you to and the rest will just happen."

"You've been married three times?" Charlie asked incredulously.

"Yeah," Emmett replied with a big smile. "Rose likes weddings so every twenty years or so we get hitched. But that just means we get to go on another honeymoon, so I'm all for it." Emmett wagged his eyes brows up and down suggestively, before leaving us to find the other vampire men.

"Is this a thing?" Charlie asked. "Do vampire couples get married many times?"

"No," I replied as I shook my head. "Rose and Emmett are the only ones who have made a habit out of it. Alice and Jasper have only been married once. Luckily for Jasper, Alice likes to plan other people's weddings, rather than her own. Esme and Carlisle married before Rose and Emmett, and, Alice and Jasper joined the family. It is still my favorite of all of the family's weddings."

"Why's that?" Charlie asked.

"Esme and Carlisle wanted a small intimate ceremony. For them, it was just about their vows and their love. I had never experienced mating before, so I was in awe over their feelings for one another. Carlisle was the most compassionate and honorable man I had ever met, yet, despite having made many vampire friends and changing me, he was still lonely. As a human, Esme was forced into an unhappy marriage to cruel, abusive man, and then had suffered through a loss of child. I believed then, as I do now, no couple deserved a happily-ever-after more than them."

" _Thank you_ ," Carlisle said in his thoughts. From inside the house, he, as well as the rest of the family, had been listening in to our conversation. " _Although, I believe we all are deserving of a happily-ever-after._ "

"However," I continued my talk with Charlie. "This is one is going to pretty special. I just may have a new favorite by the end of it."

* * *

As the wedding time approached, my family and the male members of the Denali family mingled with the human guests, while the Denali women finished Irina's final preparations. When Charlie first proposed, Irina was only mildly excited about the wedding. Like her sister Kate, she didn't really see the need to be married, as being mated was already a permanent display if her love for Charlie. However, as the planning progressed, Irina became excited and giddy about walking down the wedding aisle to become Mrs. Charlie Swan.

Soon the Denali women and Bella joined the guests. For the assembled humans, many were amazed at how beautiful the Cullen and Denali familes were. Luckily for me, most of their thoughts were limited to their general beauty and did not stray into more intimate directions.

With their emergence, Alice gestured for Charlie to move up to the front where Reverend Weber was waiting. Bella sought me out and waved, before she motioned towards her father. I waved back and nodded. I knew she wanted to have a few private words with Charlie.

"Wow, Dad!" Bella told Charlie as she pointed towards his tuxedo.

"I know. I look hot!" Charlie teased before giving Bella a hug and kissing her forehead.

Bella pulled away and looked at her father for a long moment. "You look happy, Dad!"

"I'm very happy! Except for the day you were born, this is happiest day of my life." Charlie paused for a moment as he contemplated that despite believing he was once in love with Bella's mother, Renee, he never felt for her what he does for Irina and Bella. This saddened him briefly before realizing that everything had happened for a reason. He and Renee may not have been soul mates, but he would always care for her, if for no other reason other than she gifted him Bella. As he looked at Bella he wanted to make sure she was ok with Irina.

"Are you happy with me getting re-married, Bells?" Charlie asked.

"Yes!" Bella answered enthusiastically. "Irina is great and we get along well. But, what's most important is that she makes you happy and you make her happy. That's all that matters to me."

"You know you'll always have a home with us, Bells. As much as I am looking forward for Irina and I to start our life together, you will always be my daughter."

Bella opened her arms and hugged Charlie. "I know, Dad," she whispered. "But we are both part of much larger family now. We'll both have to get use to that."

Charlie and Bella released each other as they looked around at my family and the Denali's. Charlie liked the idea of having a large family around. The concept of eternity was still vague to him, but he was glad he and Bella would have family around them during that journey.

"I guess one of these days it'll be you walking down the aisle," Charlie said as he looked where Irina would soon emerge from the house.

Bella laughed and slapped her Dad on the chest. "I don't think so!" Bella looked around to make sure none of the human guests could hear them. "That won't be happening until…after." Bella gave her father a knowing look.

"Do you think I should wait until after?" He asked. Charlie was happy Bella and I were waiting, but now he was worried about his decision to get married so quickly.

Bella placed her hand on Charlie's arm and shook her head. "No dad. This is right for you and Irina. Edward and I will do what's right for us. I'm sure you can imagine what the town gossips would say if I got married in the next couple of years. They'd all be looking for a baby bump." Bella laughed at the scenario she painted, but Charlie frowned and shot me a look. He did not like the idea of Bella being pregnant. As far as he was concerned, Bella and I only kissed each other…nothing more. "No, I am content to wait a bit."

Before they could continue their conversation, the music changed signaling the wedding was to finally start.

* * *

I handed Bella a handkerchief, which she used to dry her eyes. Reverend Weber had guided Charlie and Irina though the simple, yet beautiful ceremony. The bride and groom declared their own vows to each other, with each promising forever. For most of the humans in attendance, the sentiment was a lovely hyperbole, but for the immortal guests and Bella, it meant so much more.

As Charlie leaned down to kiss his new wife, I knew I had just witnessed my new favorite family wedding.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_

 _ **A while back, I asked what scenes you would like to see. I received many requests for a Bella and Jacob showdown. Plus, when I originally wrote the story, I never gave Charlie and Irina the wedding they deserved. So I added the two together. I hoped you liked it! Now that these new chapters are done, I will get back to my normal publishing schedule...sort of. I hope to continue with Monday and Friday, but with the holidays coming up I may miss an occasional day here or there.**_

 _ **Thank you for reading and reviewing!**_

 _ **-Chris**_


	53. Chapter 53

~ Forks, Washington - June 10, 2005 ~

"I can't believe the school year is finally over!" Bella sighed as we pulled out of the school parking lot. "So much has changed this year. It seems like, on one hand, time flew by, but also dragged."

So much had changed this year. I lost two good friends in Chicago. I got to say goodbye to my beloved parents. I moved back with the family to this little town of Forks. I met Charlie Swan, I man I greatly admire and enjoy spending time with. I exposed my family's secret to the same Charlie Swan. I found out his daughter, Bella, was not only my singer, but my mate and the love of my existence. After nearly a century I lost my virginity. Irina Denali and Charlie found out they were mates. Irina moved in with Charlie and Bella. Charlie proposed to Irina and they were married in a small, but beautiful wedding behind my family's house. Now finally school had ended and I was one year away from Bella joining me in immortality.

In addition to these big changes, There were a lot of other changes too. Tanya left her Denali family for a while to explore the world on her own. Kate and Garrett moved in with Carlisle and Esme to be close to Irina. A couple of the Quileutes started to phase into wolves, while Charlie lost his life-long friends on the Quileute reservation because of his choice of wife.

All I knew about the future was that I was looking forward to spending the summer with Bella.

"You seem awfully pensive over there, Mr. Cullen. Anything you would like to share?" Bella asked when I didn't comment about school ending.

"I was just thinking about how much my life has changed. How you and your father have brought so much happiness into my life." I lifted Bella's hand to my lips and kissed it. "I was also imagining how nice it will be to have a whole summer to spend with you."

"I'm looking forward to having the summer with you as well," Bella replied as we pulled up to her house.

When we reached the front door, Bella opened it and called out in mirth, "Mom, I'm home!"

"Yuck!" Irina yelled back as she darted into the room. "For the last time, you fragile little human spawn of my mate, I am not your mother!"

Bella and Irina had grown into good friends over the past few months. Even though Irina's change in marital and mating status, as well as adopting the Swan surname, made her legally Bella's stepmother, the two women were more like sisters. The only thing they seemed to enjoy more than teasing each other would be teasing, and torturing, both Charlie and I.

 _The chief and I are lucky men!_

* * *

Later that evening Charlie was going to take Bella out for dinner, while Irina and I hunted. However an urgent call from Carlisle requesting all of us to come to the main house, interrupted those plans.

As we pulled up to my family's house, I was shocked by what I read in Carlisle's thoughts. I quickly sought out Alice's mind. She was processing the array of visions today's events had spawned.

Soon we were all gathered together in the family room. Each couple standing next to their respective mates finding some way to connect physically with one another while we waited for Carlisle to explain the unexpected phone call he received earlier in the day.

"Thank you all for coming." Carlisle started. "I am sorry to interrupt your dinner plans, Charlie and Bella, but something has come up that impacts the entire family."

"No problem, Carlisle," Charlie replied with a now concerned look on his face. "What's up?"

Carlisle glanced at me briefly. Thanks to his mental retelling of events, I knew everything already, but listened intently as the rest of the family was told. I needed to work through how I wanted to handle the situation, so the extra time to consider my options was welcomed.

"Today at the hospital, I received a call from Aro Volturi." Carlisle paused to allow everyone to understand the the gravity of the situation.

Charlie and Bella both knew about the Volturi. They also knew our family was risking their wrath should the Volturi find out that we were involving ourselves with humans. By our kind's laws, Bella and Charlie should have been changed as soon as we mated with them. Everyone in the room, including the Denali family members, also knew we had struck a deal with the Volturi to help out as needed.

"Aro has requested the use of Edward's services to interrogate a vampire." I could feel Bella's hand start to tremble in mine. I gave it a light squeeze before I pulled her in front of me and wrapped my arms around her. "His name is Santiago Perez. The Volturi have him sequestered in Volterra."

"Santiago Perez?" Jasper asked. "Just before I left Maria's army, I helped train a newborn vampire by that name. He was from Mexico and quite a deadly warrior. I wonder if it is the same one?"

"I don't know," Carlisle answered. "Aro did not give me many details. Only that, per the agreement we have with the Volturi, they require Edward to come immediately to help with the questioning."

"Carlisle?" Charlie asked are he rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "How does someone sequester a vampire? Wouldn't the person be able to escape?"

"My best guess is that Alec or Jane is using their talents to keep the vampire from leaving." Charlie raised an eyebrow and motioned for Carlisle to continue. "Alec and Jane are a natural brother and sister pair that each have a unique set of skills. Alec can cause his victim to be enveloped in a mental fog that takes away all sensory input and leaves the person unable to move or react. Jane can cause a person to experience excruciating and debilitating pain."

Charlie glanced over to Kate, as he was aware of her gift.

"Her gift is similar to mine, Charlie" Kate replied. "Except the pain she creates is only in her victim's mind and she can do so without touch, where as you know my gift creates pain physically by shocking a person and only when I am touching them."

Charlie involuntarily flexed his hand. The same hand he personally experienced Kate's gift through by his own request to understand her abilities. She barely shocked Charlie, but it was like he was hit with a taser.

"So, the Volturi have this dude either being numbed by Alec, or shocked the shit out of by Jane, and they want Edward to go in and read his mind to see if he is telling Aro the truth? Why can't Aro just hijack his thoughts by himself?" Emmett asked.

"Exactly," Jasper added. "Something is not right with this. Aro would not need Edward's help unless..." Jasper's voice died away as he worked through his burgeoning theory.

"Unless, what?" Charlie asked.

"Unless it is not this vampire's thoughts that Aro wants Edward to read," replied Garrett. "Aro must be looking for someone close that knows something they shouldn't or is conspiring against the Volturi. If Aro asked those close to him to view their thoughts, that would raise suspicions amongst the Guard and cause the true target of Edward's gift to slip away before his identify is found out."

"I agree with Garrett," Jasper said. "If this is the same vampire I knew from Maria's service, this request could be much more complicated than Edward simply reading Perez's thoughts. At one time, the Volturi turned a blind eye to Maria's activities as she actually helped to control or eliminate rogue vampires in the American Southwest and Central America. However, after a while, she had gained enough territory and influence that the Volturi would periodically send the Guard in to, at the very least, trim her ranks or ultimately eliminate her all together. When I was recruited, Maria was constantly maneuvering to stay one step ahead of the Volturi. She would love nothing more than to end the Volturi's interference within her territorial conquests. She might have herself a mole in the Volturi."

Bella turned to face me. "So you could be stepping into a long simmering vampire turf war?" She asked.

"Possibly," I replied honestly. I cared for Bella too much to hide the potential gravity of the situation, especially since in some of Alice's visions not everything went smoothly.

"No!" Bella cried out as she hugged me. "There has to be another solution!"

"Bella," I said softly. "I do not see that I have much of a choice. There is a much greater risk to the family, to you, and to Charlie, if I do not go. The last thing we want right now is the Volturi coming here to Forks. If the true objective is as Jasper and Garrett surmise, I will gather the information for Aro and get back home as quickly as possible."

"Well, I am going with you," Emmett boomed out. "I've been wanting to size up this Felix dude for a while now."

"If Edward is going to go, and I think he should, as his refusal would be an act of outright defiance, he should take with him an offensive weapon just in case," Kate added.

"You mean yourself," Garrett replied to his mate as he caressed her cheek.

"I do," she answered. "I've known Jane and Alec for centuries. Jane and I kind of bonded over our ability to bring men to their knees. We are not besties, but she will not see me as an immediate threat." Kate paused and looked cautiously at Garrett and then Charlie. "Also, my sisters and I have a history with a few members of the Volturi Guard."

"A history?" Garrett nearly growled.

Charlie also looked in hopeful disbelief at Irina, but she just nodded her head to confirm Kate's implied statement. Luckily for me, both women tried very hard not to directly think of their trysts, however not for my benefit, but because of the hurt this information was causing in their mates.

"Yes," Kate replied before giving Garrett a quick kiss in an attempt to defuse his jealous anger. "This was centuries ago, but you are now my mate and I love only you. However, I believe those involved will look back on those times with fondness, which we can use to our advantage."

"Then I'm going too!" Garrett barked.

"I knew that you would," Kate answered before kissing Garrett again.

Jasper was about to volunteer as well, but Carlisle spoke. "There is a part I have yet to tell everyone." I knew this was coming. "Edward is to go alone. Aro wants it to seem as if Edward is passing through Italy and decided to pay his respects. Given the fortuitous timing of his arrival, Edward will be invited to lend his services with Perez."

"Great, more cloak and dagger!" Emmett added. "This keeps getting more fucked up by the moment!"

"Language, Emmett," Esme chastised. "But I agree with the sentiment. I do not like any of my family walking into the unknown."

"What do you see Alice?" Bella asked. The quiver in her voice belied her attempt at seeming calm.

During our family meeting, Alice had been quiet while she worked through her visions and scenarios impacting those visions.

"I don't have much because I've never met any of the Volturi and there are just too many unknown decisions to be made." Alice answered. "However, almost universally I see Edward coming back safe in three days time."

"Almost universally?" Bella asked as tears started to gather in her eyes. "So there are scenarios where he comes back later? Sooner? Or not all?"

I hugged Bella close to me before kissing the top of her head. "I've seen Alice's visions, love. I am not going to lie to you and say that every scenario ends the same or ends well. But, if I make a few right choices, which include going alone and following Aro's plan, I should be home in three days."

Bella looked up at me with more tears on her cheeks. I carefully wiped them away before adding, "I was worried before, but I trust Alice and her visions. I'll be back. I'll be back as quickly as I can."

"I hate this!" Bella sobbed in frustration and anger. "Because I'm the weak little human I have to stay here and wait and worry. I hate this and I hate this plan! This sucks!"

"I don't like it either," Charlie added. "To many unknowns involving people we either don't know or are trying to avoid."

He thought back to the Mitchell case and the shooting at the barn. That was supposed to be an easy arrest, but it went south quickly. He considered all of us family now, and he hated that his family could be in harms way and he could do not nothing to help.

"It's not that I don't trust your visions, Alice. I do." Charlie continued. "I just want us all to make sure we thought this through forwards, backwards, and sideways. We don't want any surprises for Edward."

I wasn't going to argue with the Chief, as he made too much sense.

* * *

Carlisle, Esme, and Bella drove me to William R. Fairchild International Airport in Port Angeles. This was a time when the deep Cullen financial reserves came in handy as I was able to secure a private flight to and from Florence, Italy. Once in Italy, I would rent a car and drive to Volterra to do my duty.

Saying goodbye to Bella was one of the hardest things I've ever done, but I did trust Alice's visions. While the travel arrangements were being made, the family heeded Charlie's advice and we worked scenarios and contingencies through Alice's visions.

As the plane lifted off the ground, my thoughts were of my brave and loving Bella. She knew contact with me while in Volterra would be not be possible. I needed to play the part of a vampire wandering through Europe. Esme, Rose, and Irina were determined to take Bella and Charlie's mind off of the trip. Esme and Rose were hoping to take Bella to see a photography exhibit at a Portland art college, assuming Bella would leave Alice's side. Irina'a plan for Charlie included lots of sexy lingerie and the fact that Bella would be staying at my parent's house until I got back.

* * *

After arriving at the Peretola airport in Florence, I settled into my rented Ferrari and headed south towards Volterra. I pulled out my phone and dialed the number Carlisle gave me. After two rings the line picked up.

"Pronto," I heard through the receiver.

"Buongiorno Aro, sono Edward Cullen." I replied.

"Edward! What a surprise!" Aro answered. I could hear voices in the background all become quiet. "To what do I owe the honor of this phone call?"

"I am traveling in Italy and I wanted to stop by Volterra and pay my respects to you and your brothers."

"Certo! You must visit us! You will be my personal guest in Volterra."

Aro and I arranged a time and place to meet. All too soon I found myself climbing the final Tuscan hill leading me to Volterra. As I entered the town, I had never felt more like a lamb being led into the lion's den. After I parked, I texted Bella one more time before shutting off my phone.

" _I'm in Volterra. I am scared and anxious...and missing you terribly, but I need to get this started so I can come home to you. I love you!_ "

Less than a minute later, I got her response.

" _I am scared and anxious too. Have I mentioned I hate this plan! Alice has nothing new to add...damn little pixie. Be safe! Come home! I love you, too!_ "

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_

 _ **Hello! This story now has over 400 reviews! Thank you, everyone!**_

 _ **Charlie's mating and wedding offered a bit of a respite, but happiness always has a price. I'll see you on Monday!**_


	54. Chapter 54

~ Volterra, Italy - June 11, 2005 ~

Gianna, my Volterra appointed liaison, led me through the Volturi castle corridors. At every turn or doorway, it seemed that vampires stopped to stare at Gianna's beauty or my odd golden eyes. The thoughts of those I could hear were filled with wonder and curiosity at the arrival of " _Carlisle Cullen's prodigal son_ ", who was also an " _animal drinker_ ", and occasionally " _I have heard he can read minds_ ".

"I see you get as much attention as I do," Gianna said in a thick Italian accent, that was meant to be seductive, but did nothing for me. In her mind she pondered what it would be like to seduce me. She was selective in her lovers and I apparently made the cut. Before she could continue her imagining, we stopped at a large wooden door. She straightened her skirt before pulling down on a crimson and gold rope hanging next to the door. A moment later the door swung open to reveal Aro Volturi, smiling brightly.

"Buongiorno, Edward!" Aro exclaimed.

"Hello, Aro, it it good to see you again." I replied with a bow.

Aro motioned for me to come in. As I passed, I held my hands behind my back and quickly went by Aro. He let a small smirk appear and fade as he spied my subtle attempt to keep from touching him.

" _Have no fear, young Edward. I will not steal you memories._ " He thought to me before addressing Gianna. "I will speak to Edward alone with no interruptions. Have the Guard and other guests assembled in the main chamber in thirty minutes."

"Of course, Master. As you wish." Gianna said before returning in the direction we came.

Aro shut and bolted the large door. He motioned for me to sit by a large desk covered with scrolls of paper, large ledgers, and surprisingly, a very modern laptop computer. He sat down behind the desk and tented his fingers in front of him. He considered this pose to be non-threatening, yet exude power and wisdom.

"This is my private study." He began. I paid close attention to both his words and thoughts. "The walls are quite thick and dense. Plus this room is actually a chamber within a chamber. As long as we keep our voices at a normal volume, we will have complete privacy here, Edward."

I could see from his thoughts, that a century ago, Aro had the walls specifically fortified with lead to block sound. Then about ten years ago, he incorporated sonically neutral insulation as well. We were in a sonically secure bubble. I could still hear the thoughts of the other vampires, however none of them could hear our conversation.

"First, thank you for coming all this way. I wish this trip could have been more social in nature, but time and opportunity demanded swift action to get you here. Edward I am going to be open and candid with you, perhaps even more so than I have with even my brothers. I am sure you have already guessed that the real reason you are here is to not interview Santiago Perez, but rather read the thoughts of others while he is questioned. You will be given the opportunity to ask questions of Perez, but that will be a ruse to hide you main objective."

"That did seem to be the likely reason for me to be summoned." I answered. "I am here to help as you see fit."

"Excellent! I already have all of the information Perez could give me from his thoughts. He is in the service of a coven that is led by a female named Maria. For a few centuries, we allowed her coven some latitude when it came to her territorial wars with others of our kind. She was very effective at curbing human awareness by eliminating less careful covens and nomads that moved into her territory. However, recently her ranks have grown and the humans are smarter and more observant than they have been in the past. What was once just stories or lore, have become grainy online pictures, and in one case, a not-nearly-blurry-enough video of Maria's newborns collecting humans to satiate their thirst. Every time we have dispatched the Guard to her rumored location, she has already moved on. From Perez's thoughts I have seen that Maria has been receiving communication from someone in Volterra. He does not know who is sending Maria the information, but it has to be someone who works closely with the Guard."

Despite his careful and measured thoughts, he still occasionally slipped and thought about something he would rather I not know. Like a passing thought about one of Perez's memories. Apparently, when Maria received a letter detailing the Volturi's plans, it would always be sealed with wax using the Volturi seal. Only a dozen vampires had access to the letter seal and all of them would be present today during the assembly.

"I can definitely help in that regard. If the thoughts of anyone in the assembly betray them as the culprit sending Maria intelligence, I will know." I paused for a moment. "Aro, may I make a suggestion?"

"You may," Aro answered. He was glad I was embracing this task.

"Given that my gift is not as pervasive as yours, I have often found that I can get people to divulge information they have schooled themselves to push from their thoughts, by allowing them to feel a sense of hope that they will not be caught, or in this case punished. I would like a bit of flexibility when I question Perez. I may imply things that are untrue or are not necessarily in line with current Volturi dogma, but I promise all will know of any subterfuge before I finish."

"You can perform your questioning as you see fit, within a certain amount of reason. Remember, you are not here to change the outcome of the justice that will be served today. In fact, I intend for all to know who you are and that you are here by your choice to help me. Despite any ideological differences you may have with this task, I am expecting you to uphold your agreement with me and present yourself as an ally and an extension of the Volturi regime."

"Of course I will honor our agreement. I came alone as you requested, but Carlisle and I had an opportunity to talk prior to my departure. With his blessing, I will let everyone at the assembly know that, even though Carlisle is not here in person, I represent his tacit consent and approval of how the Volturi is handing this issue."

"Excellent! As long as you live up to your assigned task, we shall part as good friends."

The sound of a bell ringing ended our conversation.

"Come," Aro commanded as he headed toward the door. "it is time to commence."

* * *

I waited in a small anti-chamber while Aro set up his stage. The three Volturi brothers were seated in their throne like chairs, with the two remaining wives seated off to the side. While the Guard and the invited guests filed in, each vampire passed the brothers and either they bowed, or in some cases, kissed their extended rings. After nearly forty guard members and twenty-six guests had taken their position. Aro rose and called the assembly to order.

"Welcome! Today is a special day. I have assembled the Guard and invited some friends from around the world to witness an event that normally would be shared with very few."

Aro paused for effect.

"As many of you are aware, a rogue coven of vampires have been arousing human suspicion and violating our sacred laws in the North American Southwest and in Central America."

From the thoughts of many of the guests assembled, they were unaware of any such coven.

"The coven is led by a vampire that, in the past, we all once considered a friend. However, she has since turned her back on our society and is openly defying our shared beliefs and our established conduct with the _humans_."

The word 'humans' was said in a disdainful manner. True to his emphasized speech, Aro considered all humans beneath their notice, much like a farmer would view a chicken.

"We have one of Maria's minions here in Volterra. He is vampire that has served in her coven for over one hundred years. I have asked you here today to provide witness to the questioning of this outlaw."

Aro paused again.

"We know there are some vampires that are resentful of my brothers and I. They believe that we misuse our authority and act only to further our own selfish agenda. The burden my brothers and I undertake is on behalf of all vampires. For the first time in our existence, humans now have the ability, to not only destroy their own species, but ours as well. We serve all of our common good to ensure that our vampire dominion not only endures for eons hence, but thrives!"

Aro paused to assess his audience. He was satisfied that he properly prepared his congregation for his next reveal, which would be me.

"Friends, today you will not bear witness to the Volturi acting on our own accord. I am sure that the name of Carlisle Cullen is known to many of you. I know that some of you, like my brothers and myself, consider him a friend."

From the thoughts of the Guard members and the assembled guests, Carlisle, or least his reputation, was indeed known to most. The thoughts he inspired in the assembly ranged from a majority opinion of adoration and respect to the extreme minority with Caius' contempt.

"Although he no longer calls Volterra his home, he is still here in spirit. Recently, I was speaking with my old friend and the topic of Maria's coven and the severity of their transgressions was discussed. Carlisle offered his assistance by sending to us a member of his own coven. It is my great pleasure to announce that today's questioning of Santiago Perez will be conducted by Edward Cullen, first sired prodigy of Carlisle Cullen."

A roar of thoughts and murmurs exploded. As I worked through the thoughts and whispered voices, the door to the anti-chamber opened. I walked into the grand hall and approached the dais on which Aro and his brothers sat. I bowed to each brother before standing far off to the side.

Marcus' thoughts were of fond memories of Carlisle. He missed his wit and compassion. He also missed playing chess with him. Since I entered the castle grounds, Marcus' thoughts were always tinged with melancholy. To him, the loss of his mate overpowered every impulse. Even with all of the pomp and politics of this event, he only ever thought of his departed Didyme, at least until he allowed himself to dwell on Carlisle. I found I was glad that at least he had some fond memories to stave off the sad loneliness.

Caius' thoughts were much different.

" _If it were up to me, Carlisle would have been eliminated centuries ago, and by proxy, yourself and the rest of your unnatural coven would never have been. Aro loves his theatrics, so play your role, boy. I do not need much provocation to have you meet the same end that is destined for Perez._ "

When I did not react to his threatening thoughts, Caius smirked to himself, thinking, " _He can't hear me. Aro is a fool for trusting his abilities._ "

"Edward, thank you for joining us, today." Aro said out loud. In his thoughts he telegraphed the general responses he wanted me to provide.

"It is my honor to be here today," I answered. "Carlisle, his mate Esme, and the rest of my family send their warmest regards."

Aro and Caius did not like me using the word 'family'. The implied deep kinship and affection the word conjured was not considered acceptable Vampire behavior. Despite their displeasure, they both decided to let it go. For those in attendance that actually knew Carlisle, my solo presence only helped reinforce Aro's allusion that Carlisle was on the Volturi's side. If there was some discord between the Volturi and Carlisle, they were all certain he would have come himself, or not at all. To send one of his created "children" alone, demonstrated a high level of trust and support, which, after all, was exactly what Aro was hoping for.

"I am glad to hear it. Edward, you have a very special gift, do you not? Please tell the assembly about it."

From my conversation in his study, I knew Aro wanted me to play down my gift. He wanted everyone, including his brothers, to believe I had limitations, as well as know that his talent was superior.

In his thoughts, Aro reminded my of my own strategy. " _A person should have some sense of hope that they will succeed in being undetected by your gift. If everyone knew that you could easily read their thoughts without impunity at an impressive distance, it would work against our goal for today._ "

"My gift is that, in most cases, I can read the thoughts of those close by me," I announced. Given that my darling Bella's thoughts were hidden from me, the statement was not completely untrue.

A cacophony of whispers and thoughts flooded the chamber. Involuntarily, some of the vampires took a step or two backwards in an attempt to get outside of the range of my gift. Surprisingly, Caius, Marcus, as well as most of the Guard, thought my range was quite small and that they were safe from me hearing them. Unfortunately for them, I could easily hear the thoughts of everyone in attendance, as well as on the castle grounds. It was tough to filter through the many mental voices, but as long as I maintained my focus, I could handle deluge of mental chatter.

"It is not as powerful of a gift as yours, Aro," I continued, "but it does allow me to know if someone is being factual or purposely hiding something."

Aro engaged me in some more casual conversation, all in an attempt to provide proof that I was there on my own free will and that my family was aligned with the Volturi. After our repartee, Aro announced that it was time to commence the questioning.

From another anti-chamber door, Alec and Jane entered followed by Felix, who dragged Santiago Perez into the middle of the great hall.

Slowly, Alec withdrew his gift. In Perez's mind I could see the fog retreat as consciousness gradually took it's place. After a few moments, Perez looked around in shock. His last concrete memory was being found in Mexico City by the Guard. From his recollection, that had been over two weeks ago. Now he found himself in front of the Volturi, their Guard, and other staring vampires. He openly surmised that his time on this earth was quickly coming to a close.

"Santiago Perez?" I asked from behind him. He snapped around and looked at me in fear and wonderment. He had never seen a vampire with golden eyes.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"My name is Edward Cullen. Do you know where you are?"

He looked around again at the assembly before settling on the face of Aro. "Volterra? But that is impossible. I should be in Mexico."

"You are in Volterra. You are a guest of the Volturi." When I said that, a few chuckles were heard from the attendees. Perez heard them as well and their meaning was not lost on him. He was no guest. He was a prisoner.

"Why am I here?" He asked while looking for a way to escape, although he could tell there wasn't any. He forced himself to remain calm. He prided himself in being able to escape danger. He just hoped that an opportunity would present itself

"You are here to tell us about your coven and it's leader, Maria."

An image of Maria came into his mind. She was just as Jasper had remembered her. Her clothes were more modern in Perez's thoughts, but otherwise the same.

"I do not belong to a coven," he answered smoothly. He also considered himself quite good at lying. He was unaware that Aro had already seen his memories during his Alec induced coma. He was equally unaware of my gift. "I am a nomad. And, who is this Maria you speak of? I've never heard of her."

His denial gave me an opportunity to seek out information that would help my family.

"Come now, Santiago. I know all about you. I know you have been in Maria's service for over a hundred years. I even know the name of the vampire who trained you."

Perez casually looked back at me, schooling himself to only show a blank expression, however his mind drifted to his training with Jasper. I had to stop myself from smiling at the image of Jasper dressed in his civil war uniform. Add in his Crimson eyes, he looked very different from his normal visage. From Jasper's memories I knew that Santiago was a feisty newborn vampire. Once, he had bitten Jasper during a fit of rage after Jasper bested him during a sparring match. In retaliation, Jasper ripped Santiago's arm from his body. Jasper would have destroyed him, but Maria liked Perez's temperament, so he was spared.

"His name was Jasper Whitlock was it not? You did not like him much. How's the arm by the way. I've never had a limb removed, although I've heard", from Garrett when I dismembered his hand, "it is quite painful when it re-fuses itself back together.

Santiago flexed his arm. It was a move that was seen by most of the attendees. He knew his involuntary reaction proved he was lying about knowing Maria. He worked a few scenarios over in his mind, before just settling on owning up to knowing her.

"It is true, Whitlock trained me and I hated him." Perez rolled his shoulder on the side Jasper has removed his arm. To this day, it still did not feel normal to him. "And it is also true that it hurt like hell when my arm was reattached. You must forgive me about denying portions of my past. It is well known that the Voturi have a vendetta against Maria and anyone associated with her. I was just protecting myself."

I circled around Perez before coming up behind him. "Santiago, " I said close to his ear, "you having nothing to fear from us as long as you are honest and direct in your answers. If you lie to me again, you will not like the consequences."

He turned to face me. He refused to be intimidated by me, but my knowledge of his past greatly unsettled him. "You say I have nothing to fear. Do you mean that if I answer your questions I will be allowed leave here unharmed?"

"You control that outcome, not me." I countered. I knew he would never leave this chamber alive, but I had to give him and Maria's mole some hope of survival, at least for a bit longer. "Now you say the Volturi have a vendetta against Maria, is that what she told you?"

"She did, although even if she didn't, I would know it to be true. I have seen the piles of ash the Voluturi's Guard have turned my coven members into."

In his thoughts I could see trails of purple smoke rising from ash piles that were once members of Maria's vampire army. What he didn't say was that they were expendable, which is why Maria left them behind when she received word that the Voluturi were coming.

"Maria and your coven have had a habit of creating newborns for the purpose eliminating rivals and securing feeding territories."

"That was ages ago. We have had no need to do so now. Yet we are still hunted by the Volturi."

Aro motioned to Jane. A moment later Santiago was screaming in agony. As he writhed on the floor, Aro sent me his desires in thought. " _He is lying and he is stalling. Let's move this along, Edward. Let's get to why you are here._ " Aro again motioned to Jane, who stopped her torturing of Perez.

"Now I told you, Santiago. You would not like the consequence if you lied to me. So let's try this again, shall we."

Perez gasped and he shook off the memory of the Jane's inflicted pain. "Ages ago might have be an exaggeration. Surely we are allowed to protect ourselves. Adding new members is natural when are numbers get pruned."

"I also know that Whitlock no longer trains these newborns. That task falls to you now, doesn't it?"

In his mind he flashed to a memory of Maria commanding that her three senior officers, of which he is one, to keep the newborn army groups to small numbers. She wanted three or four at most per officer. They were all to strike out into different territories to perform two tasks. The first was to find any resident vampires in the area. Once they were found, they were to be destroyed, but not before they were questioned about any nearby Volturi activity, as well as the whereabouts of several vampires who Maria has targeted for revenge. Jasper, his friend, Peter, and Peter's mate Charlotte were highest on her hit list. Santiago's personal opinion was that her territorial conquests were more inspired by finding these targeted vampires than securing populated feeding areas. This knowledge that Jasper was openly being hunted by Maria was shocking. he did not know he was a marked man. I needed to get home, for many reasons, but now I also needed to get this information to Jasper.

"Yes, I have trained newborns, but I am one of three who do so for her."

"You also destroy them when they outlived their usefulness, don't you?"

"I do. Maria mandates it as so."

" _Edward! Get to it!_ " Aro commanded. I nodded. It was time to bring this to a close.

"It seems a bit disingenuous, Santiago, to blame the Volturi for hunting down your coven, when you perform the same service for Maria. Now what I find interesting is that you, your fellow officers, and Maria always seem to move on, just before the Guard finds you. It's convenient that you always seem to leave behind a few newborns for the guard to dispatch. Too bad they never know anything."

An image of Maria reading a letter written on parchment comes into his thoughts. It's the scene, or at least a similar one, I had seen in Aro's thoughts. The Voluturi seal is easy to spot. I know this is my moment. To this point no one has admitted to sending Maria intelligence, although several have surmised that there is probably someone in the Voluturi ranks passing information along. I reach out with my gift and prepare listen for any guilty confessions.

"Maria get's a warning sent to her before each Volturi raid, doesn't she? Who sends them, Santiago?"

The minds of the Guard and the other guests are wrestling with knowledge of a traitor. Santiago is not stupid either. He understands this is why he is here. I know he doesn't know who it is. But I need him to say it in the hopes the actually traitor will respond once they think their identity is safe.

I look to Jane and give her a pleading nod, silently asking for her help. Being as sadistic as she is, she happily complies by reducing Santiago to his knees yelping in pain. I also notice Aro is nearly out of his chair waiting not for Santiago's answer, but mine. A moment later Jane stops.

"Santiago! I will only ask one more time, who sends the warnings!" I yell while pulling him to his feet. My hand is at his throat. I squeeze enough to let him think I will use all my strength and kill him if he does not answer.

"I don't know! Yes, Maria gets a warning, but she never lets any of us see the messages. All I know is that they come directly from Volterra. They are sealed with the official crest and each appears to be written by the same hand. Maria burns the message after reading them. That's all I know, I swear on my life!"

Gasps, along with incredulous thoughts and voices are heard throughout the assembly. I search all of the minds as I drop Santiago to the floor. I am about to give up, when I see one mental image amongst the many. It's just a fragment of a letter being written and sealed before being dispatched through a human courier. The source of this revelation momentarily stuns me. Of all of the people in the room, he was one of the last I suspected. I couldn't stop my head from jerking towards to culprit. Aro, along with the majority of the assembled vampires, followed my gaze as it landed onto his brother, Marcus.

A brief moment of recognition passed through Marcus' eyes before the room erupts into chaos. This was not the outcome Aro ever envisioned. Gianna was quickly by my side and whisked me away to the same anti-chamber I was in before. The door was quickly closed and locked from the outside. I was not a prisoner per se, it was Gianna's duty to ensure my safety should violence break out. She was much more than a pretty face. From her thoughts I saw what she was capable of when required. I pitied the vampire that tried to force their way through that door. Regardless of being hidden away, my gift allowed me to see what was transpiring in the main chamber.

As soon as I had been secured away, Felix reached Santiago and effortlessly removed his head. Aro commanded Alec to subdue Marcus with his gift and remove him. Caius commanded the Guard to secure the room, which included safely removing the wives, while keeping the remaining occupants in place until further notice.

As Felix dragged Perez's remains from the room, Aro and Caius asked for order. After a few moments the room went silent waiting for either of the two brothers to speak. Aro, had planned for almost every eventuality, except for one of his brothers being the traitor. However, Aro quickly gathered his thoughts before addressing the anxious crowd.

"Friends, please be at peace," He called out. "I ask that everyone remain calm and within the protection of this chamber while Caius and I work to ensure everyone's safety." Aro and Caius were quickly escorted out of the chamber by Renata, leaving the gathered Guard and guests without any other option than to remain and ponder the events that just transpired.

Aro and Caius instructed that Marcus was to be brought to Caius study, a room secured in a similar fashion as Aro's, but closer to the main chamber and not too far away from where I was sequestered. Aro pondered for a moment if I could read their thoughts within the secured walls, after a whispered command I started to feel Alec's fog envelop me. Apparently his skills are more potent than Aro has allowed people to believe. As I barely register falling to the stone floor, I forced myself to focus on the one thing that mattered most to me, hoping it would not be the last thought I would ever have. With a vision of Bella slowly fading from my thoughts, my world disappeared into nothingness.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_

 _ **Hey, at least Edward is not as bad off as Santiago! Thank you for the reviews! Also, thank you to the new readers if this story...welcome! I'll see you on Friday!**_

 _ **-Chris**_


	55. Chapter 55

_**Author's Note:**_

 _ **I am sorry for the pre-chapter Author Note (I know you want to see what happened to Edward in Volterra). Here is TLDR version since last posting...strep/pneumonia for my daughter (2 weeks of this), Christmas, virus for me (which looked like strep and pneumonia, but wasn't) that ended with a 4 day migraine (thanks to the storm that crawled up the coast through this morning), New Years Day with family. I'm exhausted but happy to be feeling better and not have my left eye socket being jackhammered for days on end). I should be back to posting on Friday/Monday this week. See you Friday!**_

* * *

~ Volterra, Italy - June 12, 2005 ~

I felt as if a dream was fading away as the world began to focus again. Involuntarily, Bella's name escaped as a whisper from my lips, I then started to pickup thoughts before sounds, smells, and sights became available to me. I felt like I was in motion, but not in a normal way. When I forced my eyes open, I found that I was riding as a passenger in my rented Ferrari. Next to me Gianna glided the car down the winding Tuscan road that led away from Volterra.

"Welcome back, " Gianna said as she downshifted effortlessly through a tight curve. "Somehow I don't think it was me or the Tuscan countryside that is _Bella_ to you."

It took me a second to comprehend her meaning, until I realized that I said Bella's name out loud. I quickly glanced around and reached out with my gift to see if anyone other than Gianna heard me.

"Don't worry, Edward. Only I heard your whispered confession and I won't ask who this _beautiful_ creature is. Although, I am a bit jealous. She must be an extraordinary vampire to have captured your attention." Gianna looked over at me with a sly wink before working the car around another bend in the road.

I decided it was best to not say anything. If Gianna thought I was attracted to a vampire I met someplace, so be it. Plus, Aro would at some point want to see her thoughts. What just transpired would be a tease, but ultimately not give away any real concrete information.

As we drove along, Gianna's thoughts were of all that transpired. As I followed her mental ramblings, I started to wonder what happened behind Caius' study door when I realized I knew everything. Despite being under Alec's fog, my ability to read the minds around me had remained. Alec may have blocked any sense of time and my core senses, but not my gift. The events of the past few hours, from many points of view, including Aro's, Caius', the Guard, and the guests, were fixed in my memory.

I played the memories through my mind. I had been under the influence of Alec's gift for a little over four hours. During that time I remained in the small anti-chamber and was guarded by Gianna to ensure no harm would come to me. Aro, Alec, and the rest of the Volturi Guard were convinced I was not aware of what was going on around me, however I remember all of their thoughts as if I was not indisposed.

Right after I succumbed to Alec's gift. Aro approached his brother. Given Marcus' grief over losing his mate, Aro rarely asked Marcus to share his memories. The pain and depression were great for Marcus and Aro did not like experiencing his grief. It had been nearly four hundred years since Aro used his gift on Marcus, but once convinced I was indisposed, he reached out and took Marcus' hand in his.

I had always wondered how Aro would experience all of the memories a person has had. In my mind I had envisioned it being like a movie being played in a super fast-forwarded mode. I was wrong. Aro felt or experienced nothing upon contact with Marcus. Then an instant later, all of Marcus' memories and thoughts were available to Aro's mind as if they were his memories and thoughts. He did not have to search for one of Marcus' memories, he just instinctively recalled it. It was fascinating to experience, but also a bit unnerving. At least for me, experiencing someone's thoughts was a linear process like normal hearing, which made the process relatable. Suddenly having all of that information was like having another person reside in yourself. It is no wonder Aro seemed a bit schizophrenic.

Aro quickly saw from Marcus' memories that he was aiding Maria. The how was simple enough, but the reason why was something much more disturbing. It was no wonder Aro did not want me to see these thoughts. Marcus' mate, Didyme, never enjoyed living her existence as the wife of one of the vampire world's rulers. She was very unhappy. Given that a vampire will do nearly anything to make their mate happy, Marcus had agreed to walk away from Volterra to lead a simpler, less drama filled existence. Just before Marcus was to announce his plans to leave, Didyme was destroyed. For centuries he believed that the ancient Romanian vampires were responsible for her demise. Besides his grief, the only other meaning his existence had was to avenge his mate's destruction. Finally, about three hundred and fifty years ago, Marcus tracked down a Romanian vampire who he suspected was involved. Ultimately the Romanian did admit to destroying Didyme, but he was able to do so because Aro had aided in the plan by reassigning the Guard members tasked with protecting her and allowing the Romanian vampire access to Didyme's private chambers within Volterra.

Marcus was enraged by this betrayal on behalf of his brother. From that moment on, Marcus plotted his revenge against Aro. He knew he had an eternity of time to extract his vengeance so he watched and waited. He allowed everyone to believe he was despondent with grief and lacked any true enthusiasm for any official Volturi business. Given this, he was rarely directly consulted on Volturi matters, but he was always present to know what was going on. He also capitalized on Aro's reluctance to view his memories. The more depressed he seemed, the more Aro shied away from any type of contact or direct communication. Marcus' only enjoyable memories after he started scheming was his conversations and interactions with Carlisle and Eleazar. It was Marcus who advocated that Eleazar should be allowed to leave the service of the Volturi Guard. It was Marcus who convinced Aro and Caius that Carlisle's unnatural lifestyle was not a threat to the Volturi way of life.

Eventually, Marcus found the vehicle for his revenge in Maria. He quickly saw that she possessed the cunning necessary to eventually undermine Aro's and Caius' efforts, and perhaps even bring about their demise. So began his secret alliance with Maria's coven. In Marcus' grand plan, he would have subtlety pushed Aro and Caius to increase the attacks on Maria's coven until it reached a point where the brothers would lead a direct assault against her. During that time, he would work to ensure that Aro would become vulnerable, thus allowing Maria's forces to extract his revenge. If the plan failed, he would wait until another Maria-like opportunity presented itself. Although Aro was always the primary focus of his revenge, Marcus would not mind if Caius was ensnared as well. After Didyme's demise, Caius had never been supportive or caring. He saw Marcus' grief as a constant annoyance and burden that they were all forced to share. If Caius became collateral damage in the scheme, so much the better.

What Marcus hadn't planned on was someone with my skills being able to expose his betrayal. Although, when I effectively singled him out as the traitor, his final thoughts before Alec numbed him was that of relief that his grief would soon be ended along with his life.

Upon seeing these memories from Marcus, Aro worked in earnest on damage control. After a brief consultation with Caius, it was agreed upon that Marcus needed to be destroyed. Aro did not tell Caius the entire truth about Marcus' motivation for the betrayal. Surprisingly it was Aro and Caius who ended Marcus' existence and not the Guard. Next the two remaining brothers addressed the still sequestered assembly. Aro spun a tale involving Maria using Marcus' grief to turn him against all that Volterra stood for. Although not everyone bought his explanation, no-one dared to openly question it. Before releasing the assembly, Aro and Caius vowed to re-double their efforts to stop Maria.

The next two hours were spent engaging in politics and further fact finding. Caius rallied the Guard while at the same time Aro used his gift to question everyone in their service. Aro considered using his gift on me why I lay succumbed to Alec's ability, but he did not want anything to jeopardize his relationship with Carlisle. Suddenly Aro needed allies like Carlisle and Eleazar more than her ever had. Although publicly the Volturi would condemn Maria's coven, the real battle looming for them would be a battle of public relations. The Volturi need to appear strong yet united with other powerful covens around the world.

Eventually, Gianna was told to take me back to Florence and see that I left the country without any issues. As we drove away from the Castle, I moved out of the range of Alec's gift, which is when I awoke.

* * *

It took me the better part of the trip back to Florence to work through all of the thoughts my mind had captured during my Alec induced fog. Gianna was fine with my silence. She had her own thoughts of the day's events to sift through. Plus, she greatly enjoyed driving the Ferrari. At one point in the trip she thought back to 1924. She had met Enzo Ferrari right after he won the Coppa Acerbo. It was a pivotal win for the young Ferrari. She found his lust for life and speed intoxicating so she celebrated his win by seducing him. I couldn't help looking over at her as a lazy smirk grew on her face.

" _What can I say,_ " she answered in her thoughts, " _he was a very sexy man. And to think I almost gave in that night and bit him. It would have been a terrible loss. We would never have marvelous machines such as this if I did!_ "

When we pulled into the airport, Gianna drove straight to a private security gate. She gave the guard a fake name and a sexy smile. After shaking some very provocative thoughts away, he checked his list, found her given name, and cleared us to continue to the hanger where my airplane stood ready to depart.

Once we parked, Gianna reached into her purse and pulled out two letters. One for me and one for Carlisle. She did not know what the letters contained, nor did she really care. Gianna knew what her role was within the Guard and she not only accepted it, she enjoyed it.

"Aro wanted me to give these you. He asked that you wait until you are airborne before reading it. He also wanted me to thank you for lending your services." I knew what would be found in the letters. Besides some words of appreciation, there was a _request_ that we not openly spread word to the vampire community what transpired during my trip. Aro's public relations effort would spin and distribute the desired story. The Volturi wanted us to confirm his retelling should anyone ask.

I took the letters from Gianna, before looking at the car with a questioning look.

"Oh! Don't worry about the Ferrari. I'll take care of it." She said as she loving dragged her hand over the steering heel. "I may keep it for a while, but I'll make sure it gets returned...eventually." I could see form her thoughts that Aro may be getting a very expensive bill from the rental company.

"Thank you, Gianna for everything," I said as I exited the vehicle. "Enjoy the car."

"Ciao, Edward Cullen. It has been a pleasure." Gianna started the car, revving the engine aggressively. "Tell Carlisle he still owes me a dance," she called out to me before driving away fast enough to make the tires squeal and leave tread marks. I could see that ' _dance_ ' was a private joke between the two of them that really was innuendo for sex. Nothing had ever happened between the two of them, but she wished it had.

* * *

I walked up to the airplane, where I was greeted by the same flight crew I had on the way out. From their thoughts, they all greatly enjoyed their two day layover in Florence. I wish I could have been able to say the same thing.

Just like on the way out, we would stop to refuel in Paris before making the long flight back to Port Angeles. I was just happy I was indeed going home. I told the captain I wanted to be underway immediately.

I turned on my phone. Bella had sent me several text messages hoping I was safe and expressing her love. She knew I would not get them until I was on my way home, but she sent them anyway.

After reading her messages, I sent her one as well.

" _Thank you for the messages. I'm safe and I'm headed home! I love you more than words can say, so I guess I'll just have to show you how much that is when I have you in my arms next._ "

I waited for Bella to respond, but none came before we were done with the pre-flight checks and taxiing towards the runway and towards my reunion with her.

* * *

Two hours later we pulled up to the hanger in Paris for refueling.

"Mr. Cullen, we should only be on the ground for about an hour while we refuel and check the airplane," the steward told me after the plane came to a stop. "Unless, you would like to stay longer in Paris. We are at your disposal."

"No, thank you," I answered. "I am eager to get..." I stopped mid-sentence when I thought I heard a familiar mind outside the plane. I few seconds later, I heard the thoughts again as they became stronger the closer they got.

I looked up at the steward. He was still waiting for me to finish my previous statement. "Forget what I just said. I think I might be staying in Paris." The thoughts were louder as the limousine got closer.

As soon as the stairs were secure, the steward opened the door. I could just now pick out my favorite rhythmic sound in the entire world. I rushed past the flight crew and out the door, careful not to go too fast. I reached the bottom of the stairs as the car pulled up. The passenger door opened and I felt whole again.


	56. Chapter 56

~ Paris, France - June 12, 2005 ~

The first person out of the limousine was my Bella. She ran to me and jumped straight into my arms.

"Heaven!" I sighed as I held her close to me. I pulled away slightly so I could capture her lips with mine. We kissed until she was out of breath. I knew Charlie and Irina were in the car giving us a moment to reconnect. So, even though I would have rather ravished Bella right on the tarmac, I lowered her back to the ground. I kissed her forehead before allowing myself to get a good look at her. She looked tired and her lips were dry, but otherwise she was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

I took Bella's hand in mine and walked over to where Charlie and Irina were now standing. I shook hands with Charlie and kissed Irina's cheek. Both of their minds were working overtime to not think of something. "What are you all doing here?" I asked.

"It was Dad's idea," Bella said. I raised a questioning eyebrow, but Charlie just nodded.

"After you left, Dad and I talked with each other and then Alice. She was pretty confident you would be back as scheduled. Dad asked her what she saw if we flew out and met you in Florence, but Alice was against that."

"That would have been a problem," I interrupted. "I was escorted back to the airport."

"Alice saw that," Charlie said. "So I suggested Paris, since you would be refueling here. Alice thought about it for a moment, before giving us a thumbs up on the idea, as long as 'Rina, came along, you know...just in case."

"Like I would miss a trip to Paris!" Irina added. "Plus, I wasn't about to let Charlie and Bella come alone."

"Our only hesitation in coming out was not being by Alice to hear her visions of what was going on in Italy," Bella added. "So Emmett pulled some strings and arranged for your entire family to fly out with us so we could all hear Alice's updates on our way here."

I could see from Charlie's and Irina's thoughts, that as my trip progressed, Alice's visions of the future detailed everything that I experienced, including Santiago's testimony, my revelation, and Marcus' termination. The whole family, especially Jasper and Carlisle, were quite stunned and upset with what transpired.

I searched for the remainder of my family's thoughts, but I did not hear them anywhere at the airport.

"Where is everyone else?" I asked.

"They flew back home, once Alice knew you were ok and being driven back to Florence." Irina answered. "You see, we…well…Charlie, you tell him it was your plan." Irina smiled at him before she kissed his cheek.

"Yeah," Charlie said as he rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Well, I never gave 'Rina the honeymoon she deserved after our quickie wedding, so I thought we could fly out. Surprise you. And if everything was good, Bella could fly back with you and we'll stay for a bit."

"He can be such a romantic, when he wants to be." Irina gushed before kissing Charlie's cheek. His mate's admission caused Charlie to blush, but he enjoyed being seen as romantic.

After their wedding, I had read Charlie's thoughts. The reason he never went away for an elaborate honeymoon after the wedding was the cost of a big trip. However, now that he was mated and married, he knew what Irina's, and his, net worth amounted too. Both Irina and I had tried to explain to him that between Alice's and my gifts, as well as Emmett's strange knack for financial planning, investing was rarely risky. Plus we had the luxury of time on our hands. We weren't billionaires, although we easily could be if we wanted. However, each one of us were at least multi-millionaires several times over. Some of us, like Emmett and myself, had quite large and diverse portfolios. We each managed things a bit differently, but largely when our funds started to burn down, we would just invest a bit more to top off our coffers. Additionally, we all used our substantial wealth to help and fund a great many causes. Esme and Rose, were the most involved with our foundations and charities, but we all enjoyed being able help others using the fruits of our good fortunes.

Overall, Irina had been patient with Charlie. Although, they had a some of minor, and a couple not so minor, disagreements regarding finances and overall equality within their marriage. As he and I had discussed on his wedding day, it had been hard for Charlie to reconcile this part of our world with his sensibilities, but he was getting there. I was glad he decided to embrace, at least in part, the resources he had available to him and make this trip. I tried to have similar conversations with Bella concerning my wealth and resources, but she said it really didn't matter to her. She loved me and not my money.

However, now we were in Paris. Perhaps I could use some of my deep resources to spoil her a bit.

"Would you mind if I kept Bella here in Paris for a couple of days so I could show her the sights?" I asked Charlie and Irina. "That is, if Bella is also okay with it."

"Really?" Bella squealed in delight. "I would love that!" She looked at me as if I just granted her fondest wish. I nodded my head and waited for Charlie and Irina to say what they were already thinking.

"Irina and I had already discussed this. We were already going to suggest you delay your trip home so Bella could see Paris." Charlie couldn't help smiling at how happy Bella was. "But you beat us to the punch."

Bella was now channeling Alice by bouncing up and down. She was ecstatic and giddy. I quickly thought through everything I wanted to show Bella. I knew jet lag and the toll that past three days would be setting in soon.

"Excellent! Let me just arrange things with the flight crew. Does us leaving on Thursday sound good? That will give us three full days to explore." I said.

Bella nodded emphatically. I looked over at Charlie and Irina. Charlie nodded before thinking, " _You made her very happy, thank you._ "

* * *

As expected the flight crew had no problem with delaying our trip home. Before the crew was released to enjoy their extended layover, I asked the steward to make hotel arrangements for me, as well as reserve a car for us.

As I was speaking to them, I received couple text messages from my family.

 _"Words cannot express how happy Esme and I are that you are safe! We decided to re-direct to London for a couple of days. I think everyone could use a respite. Call when you can." …Carlisle_

 _"Hi! I am so happy you are safe! It was quite tense there for a while. Anyway, enjoy Paris! P.S. I had some clothes sent to your hotel. From what I can see, you need them! I may have also got Bella a few things ;-) Kisses!" …Alice_

" _Yo! Glad you made it out of Italy in one piece! Can't say the same for Santiago or Marcus! You still are the only one that gets to have fun!" …Emmett_

 _"By the way, we took the new Gulfstream. Not as nice as your ride, but a good find for us. Its going to make us $$$" …Emmett_

Just like my family, I felt relieved that I was out of harm's way. I was sure once I got back home, there would be lots of discussion, but for the next few days, we all deserved a vacation from the drama. So, while the remaining arrangements were being finalized, I walked back to give Bella, Charlie, and Irina an update.

"We are all set regarding the flight home," I told them. "They are arranging the hotel and transportation." I paused and waved my phone in front of them. "The family has decided to spend a couple of days in London to decompress. Plus, Alice will have some stuff waiting for us at the hotel so I'll be more presentable."

Charlie was just about to pull me aside to discuss the hotel, when the steward came over with our details.

"Everything has been arranged per your instructions, Mr. Cullen." The steward said. "The car should be here any minute and you are to ask for Etienne at the Hôtel Plaza Athénée."

" _Nice!_ " Irina mentally cheered, before adding " _Charlie is not going to like this. He's not a five-star kind of guy._ "

I shrugged in response to her thoughts. Wait until they all saw the suites I asked to be reserved. Each one looked out onto the Eiffel Tower.

"If you require anything during your stay, you have my number. Also, Sheri at the home office said to call her at home or the office, if you can't reach me."

"Thank you," I told the steward. "Enjoy your layover."

"I will, sir, thank you," He said before leaving us.

"Who is this Sheri?" Bella asked in an annoyed tone. "And why do you have her home number?" I loved it when Bella got jealous. Her fiery attitude was very sexy.

"Sheri, is the president of the charter company. She is thirty-seven years old. She has two kids and a husband named Kevin." I replied smoothly before I took Bella's hand and gave it quick kiss to help diffuse her anger a bit. "And I have her home number because technically she works for me."

"What?" Both Bella and Charlie asked.

"Emmett and I own the charter company," I said causally. "Given what we are, flying commercial is not also prudent, so about three years ago we bought the company." I leaned in like I was going to tell them a secret. "They think Emmett and I are trust fund babies."

"So that is why the planes just happened to be available and in Port Angeles right when we needed them?" Bella asked.

"Well, long story short, yes. Seattle is their western hub." I answered now feeling self conscious. "The company is profitable and a good investment," I added in my defense.

I felt it was probably best to not tell them that the plane I arrived on was for our family's use only, so therefore always available. The Gulfstream Bella arrived on was a new purchase for the company to cater to corporate clients. Before I could be questioned further, a black Mercedes limousine pulled up.

" _Saved by our ride,_ " Irina thought while suppressing a laugh.

A few minutes later, after I gave the driver my instructions for the drive into Paris, we were heading out of the Airport.

"I asked the driver to pull over and let me out after we clear the airport property." I told them.

Bella looked at me in shock and grabbed my arm as if she trying to keep me from leaving. The privacy window was raised so the driver could not hear anything we were saying. I knew I could talk openly.

"I need to hunt, Love. The past few days have been very trying."

What I didn't add, mainly because Charlie was sitting directly across me was that I fully intended on ravishing her later and I did not want blood lust interfering with my Bella-induced lust.

Bella looked at me before nodding. "Your eyes do look kind of black. Will you be long?"

I took Bella's hand and kissed her palm. "I will meet you at the Hotel. I will probably even beat you there. This is going to be my version of fast food."

"Edward, do mind if I join you?" Irina asked. "I think it might be wise for me to get a snack to go as well." Irina gave Charlie a knowing look.

He did not like Irina and I leaving, especially in a foreign country where he and Bella did not know the language or their way around, but he knew it was for their safety.

"Sure, no problem," I answered. The car came to a stop on the side of the road as instructed. When I requested that the driver do so, he was quite surprised, but the generous tip I gave him seemed to calm his nerves. He just added it to the long list of quirks he felt Americans had. "The driver speaks English so if you need anything just press the call button."

I kissed Bella's forehead before I opened the door. "I'll see you soon. I promise." Bella nodded and gave me a sad smile before I closed the door.

* * *

Luckily, it did not take long for us to find some deer. Both Irina and I finished with our first course very quickly. She was sated, but I needed more. It took me just a few more minutes to find another and drink it dry.

"Fast food, indeed," Irina commented after my second kill. "And look at you, not even a drop of blood on you." She was teasing, but it would be hard to explain a blood splattered shirt once we reached the hotel. As it was, my clothes definitely showed the three day ordeal I just had. I could see why Alice was appalled.

"Let's get to the hotel." I said. Irina nodded and ran with me until we reached the outskirts of Paris. Evening had descended so it was easy for us to travel through the darkened alleyways. We only needed to slow down to a human pace a few times. Soon we were within a couple of blocks of the hotel, which meant we had to walk in public the remainder of the way.

"Do you think we will beat them there?" Irina asked.

"I'm sure we will. I told the driver to take a leisurely loop around Paris to give us some more time."

" _Damn, you think of everything._ " Irina thought to me as we walked up to the Hotel.

"How bad is the room you arranged?"

"Suite. Actually suites." I said smugly. Irina shot me a glare. "What? Tell Charlie it's a belated wedding gift from my family."

"Me? Tell Charlie?" She said nearly laughing. "Oh no! You can tell him, mister, I-own-my-own-airline!"

As soon as Irina and I entered the grand lobby of the hotel, a woman quickly approached. She was looking at me, and thinking, that I was some kind of vagrant and obviously did not belong there. I quickly told her that Etienne was expecting me. Her look of disdain suddenly turned to an accommodating smile. She quickly walked away and then back with a portly gentleman in tow.

"Bon jour! You must be Mr. Cullen." Etienne said in heavily French-accented English. "Welcome to the Hôtel Plaza Athénée!"

Irina wandered to the front windows, looking for Charlie and Bella, while I confirmed with Etienne our lodging arrangements. The steward had done his job well. Before handing me the keys to our suites, he took a long look at my clothes and then fully understood the delivery of men's clothes he signed for thirty minutes before. When I was done with Etienne, I went over to where Irina was standing.

"Come on," I said giving her a nudge. "They will be here shortly." As we stepped outside, I could hear Charlie's thoughts as they rounded the final corner. He was quite overwhelmed and awed by the beauty and congestion of Paris. In his thoughts I could also see Bella. She was wide-eyed by the sights of of the city, but also worried that we would not be at the hotel when they arrived. Charlie was equally worried. He did not have much experience traveling abroad. Several trips to Canada, and one ill-advised trip to Tijuana, Mexico with some of his Quileute friends many years ago, made up all of his prior foreign travel.

As soon as the car pulled up to the Hotel, one of the liveried staff opened the limousine door. Charlie poked his head out of the vehicle, looking apprehensive until he spotted Irina and I. He exited the car and immediately went to his wife. I reached in and helped my smiling Bella.

"Bon jour, mon amour. Welcome to the City of Light." I said. Since Charlie was being welcomed by Irina, I lightly kissed her lips. Bella instinctively grabbed my shirt and pulled me closer to her before realizing her Dad was just a few feet away.

"You did beat us here." She said quietly. "I'm glad because I missed you."

"I missed you too. Come on. I think you're going to love Paris."

* * *

Charlie looked around the suite I arranged for Bella. It was on the same floor as Charlie and Irina's. Both suites faced the Eiffel Tower, but they were on opposite ends of the floor for privacy reasons. I had reserved a room for me as well, to keep Charlie appeased, but it was on the floor below.

" _All of this is a bit over-the-top, Edward._ " Charlie thought before sighing. I smiled and shrugged as our eyes met. " _I don't mean to seem ungrateful, because I really do appreciate it. I'm just not used to all of this. Thank you._ "

"This is really beautiful!" Bella said. "Just look at the Eiffel Tower all lit up. And this room is so...French!" Irina and Bella both laughed. The two suites were decorated in a classic French provincial style. Both were very elegant, but also very...French.

"Edward, where are you staying?" Bella asked.

"Yes, where exactly is your _separate_ room?" Charlie asked. He was half expecting me to say I was staying here, but really hoping I wasn't.

"I have a room on the floor below this one." I simply said.

Bella's smile fell at my admission. Charlie noticed it as well. He suspected Bella and I have been intimate, but would rather not think of Bella in those terms. He still saw her as his little girl in pigtails. Irina knew for a fact what Bella and I have been up to. With her heightened senses, there is no way she could not know. However, Irina was fine with Bella and I having a physical relationship. To her it was the vampire way.

" _I'm sure you'll be spending the nights here in this room._ " Irina thought. " _Don't worry, I'll make sure Charlie is distracted._ "

* * *

I left Bella so she could refresh herself and change. Charlie and Irina went to do the same thing, but they got distracted. We were supposed to meet in thirty-minutes, but I would have to guess that they would now be delayed.

In my room, I found clothes hanging in the closet, some grooming supplies in the bathroom, and a small piece of empty luggage. All of these items were curtesy of Alice. I showered quickly and changed clothes. As I was tying my shoes, there was knock on my door. The lack of thoughts and the strumming heartbeat told me it was Bella.

I open the door to see Bella dressed in a new outfit that must have come from Alice. "Um," Bella said shyly. "I came to see your room."

"Come on in." I motioned for Bella to enter.

Once she has cleared the threshold, I shut and bolted the door. We glanced at each other for a moment before we jointly attacked one another. Quickly we were panting as our mouths fused together and our hands roamed over each other's body.

"I love you," I gasped between kisses.

"I love you," she echoed.

"It was you I thought of when Alec used his gift on me."

Soon our clothes were coming off.

"It was you I thought of when I was released from his gift."

Then we were on the bed.

"I was so scared I would never see you again, Bella. I never want to feel that way again. I can't lose you. I won't lose you, ever!"

Finally we were joined together. Despite being five thousand miles from Forks, I was home.

* * *

Eventually, Bella and I made our way to the lobby. We were worried that we would be late given our impromptu love making, but our fears were unfounded. Charlie and Irina came down about ten minutes after we did. Charlie wanted to feel bad about being late, but he enjoyed his time with Irina too much.

Irina on the other hand, knew exactly what we were up to. " _I see you two used the time well,_ " she teased in her thoughts.

All I could do is give a quick wink. It was time well spent.

"Come on, let's go feed the humans," I said out of earshot of the other guests. "I know a great little cafe just down the street. You'll love the food, or so I've heard." Bella giggled and Charlie rolled his eyes.

"Good! I'm starved!" Bella said as we walked out of the hotel. "Plus, Dad and I need to talk to you two."

Irina and I looked at each other, we both wondered what they could want to talk to us about. Then I caught Charlie's thoughts. He had been trying very hard to not think of the private conversation that Bella and he had after I left for Volterra. My head jerked towards him.

He knew he gave away the conversation, so he shook his head slightly. " _Please let us explain._ "

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_

 _ **So how was part one of Paris? One more Paris chapter coming on Monday. I wonder what Charlie and Bella want to discuss? I also wonder how much damage is going to be done to the the Hôtel Plaza Athénée by our couples?**_

 _ **Thank you to everyone that has been reading and reviewing! I hope 2019 brings you health and prosperity!**_

 _ **-Chris**_


	57. Chapter 57

~ Paris, France - June 12, 2005 ~

It was a warm evening, so we sat outside at the cafe. I tipped the hostess to seat us away from the other patrons. No one would be able to hear us, as long as we kept our voices low. After reviewing the menu, which luckily was in both French and English, Charlie and Bella ordered their meals and drinks. After the waiter dropped off their beverages, Irina was the first to speak.

"So what do you need to talk to us about?" She asked anxiously.

"We wanted to talk to you both about us being changed," Charlie said.

"You no longer want to be changed?" Irina said in a mild panic.

Charlie reached out and held her hand. Shaking his head, he said, "Irina, you have an uncanny ability to jump to false conclusions."

Irina pouted at Charlie's characterization, but he was right to a certain extent. Irina has always been impulsive. She was prone to act without taking time to properly assess a situation. Charlie on the other hand was the polar opposite. He would analyze a situation, sometimes overly so, before committing to an action. They were perfect for each other.

"We still very much want to be changed. It's just that this Volturi incident got Bells and I thinking. At first independently, but we talked it over and we both had arrived at the some conclusion."

"Which is?" Irina asked nervously.

"We want to get changed soon," Bella answered. "This summer, hopefully just after you two get back from your honeymoon."

Irina opened her mouth, but nothing came out. I searched Charlie's thoughts. They were both serious about being changed, however I had to make sure.

"Are you sure this what you want?" I asked. "I do not want either of you to do this because you feel some duress to do so. We can keep you safe."

"Under duress?" Bella said in an annoyed tone. "Really, that is why you think we want to do this? Feeling helpless while you were away, that was duress. The feeling of guilt and worry that we are putting both your families at risk with the Volturi, that's duress. Knowing you both worry constantly about our safety, our health, and knowing there isn't a damn thing we can do to ease that worry, that's duress." Bella looked into my eyes with a pleading look for me to understand what she was saying. "Being human another year would be duress."

"Edward, Irina, as I said, we've talked this through," Charlie added. "We both came to this same conclusion separately prior to talking with each other. This is not a knee-jerk reaction to the current situation. We are currently a risk to the people we care about. We have the power to mitigate that risk by being changed sooner, rather than later."

Charlie picked up Irina's hand and held it steady in his as they locked eyes. "I've been thinking about this Maria situation. Now that her informant is no more, she is bound to become unpredictable. It is not unreasonable to believe that Edward's family or your's may be dragged into this mess. Additionally, Maria has placed a price on Jasper's head and the Volturi will be looking for allies. Listen, I know you can protect me. I know that Edward can protect Bella. But don't you see, you're my wife and my mate. I need to know I can protect you as well. As a human I can't do that. This feeling of being helpless and inadequate is something Bella and I do not want to endure for another year."

Bella nodded emphatically. "One of the reason's Dad was holding off was me. But I want to be changed now. We can do this together."

"Bella, I want you to understand, I am not against this. Do you believe that?" I asked.

"I do, however I have feeling there is a _but_ coming." She answered.

"Your right, and that _but_ is concerning your plans to finish high school. I know that it was important for you to do that. If you get changed now, that won't be possible. Are you ok with that?"

"Edward, let me ask you this. Do you think that if I don't get changed this summer, that next year I will graduate high school?"

"I have no doubt, Love. You will graduate easily with honors. You are one of the smartest students at the school."

"I agree and you are correct, at one time it seemed important to me to finish high school as a human just to prove that I could. But we both just admitted it would not be much of a feat for me to finish." Bella paused and gave me a sly little smile. "Plus you told me that you matriculate a lot, so at some point I am pretty sure I will actually get a high school diploma handed to me. I was even thinking that I could get my GED after my newborn blood lust calms down enough for me to focus on it."

At that moment the waiter returned with Bella and Charlie's food. As the plates were being placed down, my phone buzzed. A quick glance confirmed my suspicions.

"I just got a text message from Alice." I told everyone after the waiter left us. "She says that Bella could easily pass her GED now before her change."

Bella beamed in pride over Alice's confirmation of her plan. A moment later the phone buzzed again. I looked and Alice's next message and laughed out loud.

"What did she say," Irina asked.

"She said, tell Bella and Charlie... _yay_!" I said the last word using my best Alice impersonation, including clapping my hands. We all laughed before Charlie turned serious.

"Are you ok with this, Irina?" He asked "You haven't really said anything."

Irina leaned over and kissed Charlie deeply. He was not one for open PDA, especially in front of Bella or I, so the unexpected kiss caused the Chief to blush.

"Of course, I am ok with it!" She said caressing his cheek. "Why wouldn't I be? Everything you said makes perfect sense." She leaned in so she was right next to his ear. "Plus it will be nice not having to worry if I'm going to break you instead of the bed," she said in a whisper, but Bella and I could easily hear. Charlie blushed so much the tips of his ears started to tint.

"I am ok with it too, Love." I said to Bella while Irina and Charlie shared a loving look. "More than ok with it!"

"Really?" She asked

"Really, I am. I want to start our forever together as soon as possible." I normally did not kiss Bella on the lips in front of Charlie, but this occasion called for it. Bella and I kissed for a few seconds before we heard Charlie coughed a couple of times telling us that he has seen enough.

"Why don't you both eat?" Irina said as she motioned towards their plates. Both Bella and Charlie did not hesitate to dig in to their meals.

"This may not be the best dinner conversation," I said, "but while you both eat, let's talk about some logistics, starting with what we are going to tell people."

Bella and Charlie both paused eating and looked at me expectantly. In Irina's thoughts she let me know to go ahead and she will chime in if she needs to. She had never dealt with newborns before so she really didn't know how to handle creating the cover story.

"The simplest thing is to stage an accident. The people you know will believe you perished in the accident. However, I believe you both would find that scenario not to you liking."

"Um, yeah. I am not a fan of that approach," Charlie said.

"Neither am I," Bella added.

"I have no idea what I will be capable of after my change or what I will feel like doing with myself," Charlie told us. "I would like to leave the door open to at least return to Forks to visit, at least for a while, if possible."

"I am not attached to Forks, per se," Bella said. "But I would like to at least keep in contact, in some form, to a few people. Namely, Mom and perhaps, Angela."

"Ok, so we need a cover story as to why you both will be absent for at least a year, most likely longer." I told them. "My family's experience has been it takes about five to seven, sometimes even ten years, for humans to realize we are not aging. We can deal with what happens then at a later time."

My phone buzzed again. It was Alice. She of course already had a cover story ready for both Bella and Charlie. I read through the three text messages it took to detail the story. It was good. It would be believable to most and would allow for a variable amount of time.

"So, Alice just texted me her ideas on this," I told the group. "She thinks Bella and I should enroll in an international student program where we spend our senior year abroad. Charlie, you will of course not be comfortable with Bella being so far from home and in a foreign land, so you will request a sabbatical from work so you and Irina can travel with us. Mark will take over as interim Chief of Police in your absence, which I believe was going to be your plan anyway."

Another text came in from Alice.

"She also says that this was going to be her plan for next year. She does not see why it can't be moved forward with just some of the details changed a bit."

The three of them thought about Alice's idea for a moment.

"What do you think, Bells?" Charlie asked. "It sounds believable. Anyone who knows you will believe you would want to travel and anyone who knows me will easily believe I would want to make sure nothing happens to you."

"I like it," Bella said. "How about you Edward? Irina?"

"I really don't have any experience with this, so I'm for it." Irina said. "It would allow either or both of you to eventually resurface in Forks or really, anyplace else."

The three of them turned toward me.

"To be honest," I started, "it really doesn't matter. People will believe almost anything reasonable. But I like the general tone of the story. It does feel like both of you. I say we go with it."

Smiles greeted me from around the table. My phone buzzed a few more times with more message from Alice.

"Alice says we made the right choice. Charlie, Jasper will have all of the paper work for your sabbatical ready for you to sign when you get back. The Forks Town Council will review the request for two days then sign off on it."

My phone buzzed again.

"If everything goes as planned, you both can be changed as soon as the first week of July."

* * *

After our cover story discussion, we headed back to the hotel. Charlie and Bella were exhausted, so Charlie and Irina said their good nights. I went back to the room with Bella, but all we did was lay together in her bed until she fell asleep, which did not take long. I told her that once she was asleep, I would leave for a bit to call my family so we could go over everything that transpired in Volterra and Paris.

That call was long and included a lot of questions from my family.

Jasper was quite upset that Maria had placed a price on his head. He was equally upset over the events in Volterra. He felt it was not a question of _if_ , but rather a question of _when_ the two remaining Volturi brothers would turn to our family for assistance. He was glad Charlie and Bella were thinking strategically. Newborns were unpredictable, but also very strong. With their change, Jasper saw them quickly becoming assets rather than liabilities.

Jasper also felt that he needed to warn his friend Peter and his mate, Charlotte, that Maria was looking for them as well. Unfortunately, Peter did not embrace technology or modern conveniences. He had no phone or computer to receive email on. Their flight home from London would now include a side-trip to California. Once there, Jasper and Alice would head to the outskirts of Bakersfield, California, which is where his friends had last been. Jasper hoped he could persuade Peter to relocate someplace up north and further away from Maria's influence, however he also knew that he would not jeopardize Alice or the rest of the family for Peter's sake. They would warn Peter and then come back. If Peter decided not to act, then the weight of his fate was on his own shoulders.

Emmett and Rose were somewhat worried about the Volturi and Maria, but mostly they were excited about Bella's and Charlie's decision to be changed soon.

Carlisle and Esme were also very upset over what transpired in Volterra. The upheaval of the Volturi's perceived position of power was to not be underestimated. Likewise, the knowledge that Aro had been involved in the demise of Marcus' mate was shocking and caused Carlisle to question just how well he knew the man. Carlisle was also surprised and pleased in my gift's ability to thwart Alec's powers. Esme was livid that Alec even used his powers on me. However both expressed their joy that Bella and Charlie would be changed before too long.

Garrett's reaction was somewhere between Jasper's and Carlisle's with regard to the Volturi and the Maria situation. He was not shy about voicing his opinion that both camps should be considered unstable, and therefore dangerous. Kate remained largely quiet except to inquire about how Irina was handling Charlie's decision to be changed this summer.

Alice was worried about Jasper, but she was also trying to stay focused on her visions and making sense of them. She told me that some number of further decisions, maybe one or maybe many, were still to come before she could see Bella's and Charlie's change with any kind of consistent clarity. She hoped that over the next few days those decisions would be made.

In total, we talked until the sun had risen. The family knew I was to stay in Paris for a few days and they would be leaving London before that. Alice and Jasper were expecting their layover in Bakersfield to only last a half-day at most, so they should be back in Forks when Bella and I arrived.

I told them I would call again the next evening.

* * *

Bella and I had an amazing day in Paris. After the call with my family, I got back to Bella's room to find her awake, dressed, and eating some room service breakfast. Given that the day was to be rain free, but overcast, we decided to spend the day wandering around the city, viewing the iconic sites that Paris offered. Tomorrow was expected to be party sunny, so a day at the Louvre would be best. So after leaving Charlie and Irina a message of our plans, we explored Paris.

Bella and I were now walking hand-in-hand to the Eiffel Tower. The sun would be setting soon and I wanted her to see the transition from twilight to night from the top of the world famous landmark.

Earlier, I had called Sheri at the charter office and asked he to make some arrangements so Bella and I could forgo the tourist lines at the tower and head straight up. We were given the VIP treatment by the tower staff, and in short order, Bella and I were standing at a private observation area at the top looking out onto Paris.

"This is amazing!" Bella said. She was standing in front of me with my arms wrapped around her. "It's so beautiful. Promise me we will come back here after my change. I want to see and experience all of this with my new super senses."

I leaned down and place soft kisses on the shell of her ear. "I promise, Love. We will go anywhere in the world you want to go."

A few minutes later we faced a different direction and took in the new vantage point. "Bella, I want to talk about where you would like to be changed. For at least a six months you will not be fit to travel, so choosing a good location is important. Have you given it any thought?"

Bella stayed in my arms but pushed back further into my embrace. I noticed both yesterday and today, that during any talk of her change, Bella often sought a more deeper physical connection with me. I was more than fine with that as I wanted her closer as well.

"My Dad and I assumed we would be changed up in Alaska or someplace remote like that. Are there other options?"

"Alaska does make a lot of sense. As you said, it can be remote and there is plenty of food, at least until winter settles in. Before Charlie mated, and it was just you being changed, another idea I discussed with Carlisle was to go to Isle Esme."

"I still can't believe Carlisle and Esme own their own island!" Bella replied. "I mean who owns an Island!". Last fall I had told Bella and about Carlisle and Esme's private island off the coast of Brazil. I guess it is an odd thing for people to randomly own.

"Well, it's tough for us to enjoy the sun and beach without sparkling like a disco ball. A private island seemed to make sense." I told her.

"Is it really an option for my change? What would I eat?"

"Well, that's really the big issue. The island is secluded and far from humans, but it does not have many large animals. There are some wild boar that we have transplanted from the Brazilian countryside. We feed from them when we don't feel like traveling back to the mainland. Carlisle and I talked about having some regional marsh deer relocated to the island, and possibly some Brazilian tapirs, which are like stocky ponies."

Bella nodded. "Would this be a location for just me, or for me and my Dad to be changed?"

"Even though the island is quite large and would be plenty of territory for a single newborn to roam, it might not be a good location for both you and your Dad."

"Why's that?"

"Well, feeding is going to tap into your more animalistic urges. I can guarantee that after a hunt, you will be feeling quite amorous, which is something I am quite looking forward to." Bella playfully slapped my arm, but she also wiggled her delectable little rear against my groin. She was heaven and hell all in one wonderful package. "I think it might be best to have a bit more real estate between you and and your father during those times."

"Ew!" Bella laughed. "Yeah, that is something I don't want to deal with. I really don't want to be a continent away from my Dad for a year while I settle in to my new life, though. I think my Dad would like to have me around too."

I thought about it for a few moments. As much as I would like to have Bella alone on isle Esme with me for a year, I can understand her wanting to have her Dad near as well. Plus, stocking the island with enough large mammals in such a short period of time, may not be feasible. If the original schedule was still an option, then maybe we could properly and safely introduce deer and tapirs in enough numbers, but now with the shortened timeframe, Isle Esme was not looking like a good option. Luckily, shortly after Bella moved up to Forks, I made some inquires into property up by where my cousins live in Alaska. Maybe I was being overly hopeful at the time, but I decided to purchase it on speculation. However, I did not want to completely give up Isle Esme either. I liked where this new idea I was having was leading to.

"Bella, how about this. Irina's family has a large piece of property up in Alaska. It is remote, which is why Irina's family does not have to move like we do. There are very few humans around to question a family that never ages. About 75 miles away from there is another plot of land that became available. It's a good size, also remote, and even has a cabin on it, although the structure needs some work. Both Irina's home and this other property both abut the Denali national park, which is vast and largely unpopulated. Charlie and Irina could stay at her property and we could move into the other property. You would only be about a thirty to forty minute run to see your Dad, but we would be far enough away from them that we would all have our privacy."

Bella spun around in my arms. She had a big smile on her face and happy tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "Oh, Edward, that sounds perfect! Do you think the land is still available?" Bella caught my eyes darting from hers when she asked about the property's availability. "Oh my god! You already bought it, didn't you!"

"Um, yeah. I did purchase it." I said sheepishly.

"When? When did you buy it?"

"Shortly after you moved to Forks." I replied. Bella eyes opened wide as she processed that bit of information. "I knew it would be a good location should you ever want to be changed, so I just did it. Are you mad?"

"Mad?" Bella asked before reaching up and kissing me. The kiss was wet and passionate and amazing. "No, I'm not mad," she said in between breaths and more kisses. "Thank you for wanting forever with me. I love you so much."

"I love you too, more than I will ever be able to show. And thank you for also wanting forever with me. You should be warned though Bella, the cabin is a bit rough. The roof may have a few leaks and it is not very big, but it does have a working well, a stone fireplace, and an electrical generator that may or may not work."

"It sounds perfect."

"Bella, I was also thinking that after spending a winter up in Alaska, you should be settled enough for some private travel, so maybe we can spend the spring on Isle Esme, just the two of us."

"Oh, Edward! I love the sound of all of that. You and I, alone in the cabin, with a fire going. Then you and I, alone on a sunny beach. I think it all sounds perfect!"

With the lights of Paris twinkling beneath us and our discussion complete, we held each other and just enjoyed the night.

* * *

The next evening, Bella was exhausted from our day at the Louvre, so we had an early dinner at the hotel. While eating we met with Charlie and Irina. Except to meet us now for dinner, they really hadn't left their suite for the better part of two days. I could see from Irina's and Charlie's thoughts that one of couches in the main lounge area was broken, as well as the four-poster bed in the bedroom. I guess I will need to speak to Etienne before I check out to warn him about the state of the room.

Charlie ate like a starving man. He was also quite tired and a bit sore. Irina may be able to go for days on end, but Charlie was only human, after all. Tomorrow they would venture out into Paris if for no other reason than to allow Charlie to recharge.

While Bella and Charlie ate, we all talked about going to Alaska once everything was settled in Forks. Irina was excited about the plans, and she too thought that Alaska made the most sense. She also liked the distance between our two properties. We would have our privacy, yet Bella and Charlie could see each other regularly. We didn't discuss our plans to go to Isle Esme. Bella thought it would be best to leave out that portion of plans, at least for now.

After retiring to her room. I drew Bella a hot bath. She was now seated in front of me leaning back against my chest. The warm, sudsy water was nearly up to her chin. Under the water's surfaced she drifted fingers up and down my extended legs. It was a wonderfully causal, yet sensual experience being in the tub with her.

"Edward, do you think we can stop in Jacksonville on our flight back to Port Angeles?" She asked quietly.

I knew something was on her mind for the past several minutes, and I was just waiting for her to bring up what she was thinking through.

"We can do anything we want, love. I just happen to know the owner of the airplane."

Bella playfully elbowed me. "I want to see my Mom before my change. Edward, are you sure you and your family are ok with me not severing all ties with her? I don't want to create problems between me and the family, but I would like to at least keep the door open that I can at least talk to her either via email or the phone."

I wrapped my arms around Bella, securing her against my body. "Bella, no one in the family wants you to have to sever ties with your Mom. You have a chance that none of us have had. We already know Charlie will be around, but you get to control when you say goodbye to your Mom. At some point your lack of aging will become an issue. Even before that time comes to pass, you will look much different. We won't be able to hide the new you. We'll just have to see how things play out. I will be keeping a close watch on her thoughts, if she starts to get too close to the truth, we'll have to reassess."

"Ok," Bella replied before a yawn slipped out. "I don't want to place either my Mom or ourselves at risk with the Volturi. I just want a bit more time with her, that's all."

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Thank you for all of the reviews and for reading! This story got some new readers this week, so to everyone new...welcome!**

 **On Friday we'll get to visit with Renee.**

 **-Chris**


	58. Chapter 58

~ Paris, France - June 15, 2005 ~

Bella and I climbed the steps of the plane. Once we reached the door, the steward greeted us with smiles and mimosas. Bella giggled as she sipped her drink. At Charlie's wedding I found our that Champagne made Bella happy and amorous.

We took out seats in the main lounge. Before Bella had started on my mimosa, the plane was accelerating for takeoff. Bella's happy smile as she watched Paris fall away from us was all I could ask for. We spent yesterday at Versailles, before meeting Charlie and Irina for dinner at a quaint little bistro. This morning Bella and Charlie were both misty-eyed while saying good bye, but they would be back in Forks in seven days. This morning I also got a chance to meet with Etienne and warn him about the room damage, which he had already heard about from the cleaning staff. I let him know that I would happily reimburse the hotel, plus the thousand Euro tip I gave him ensured that Irina and Charlie would have a problem free stay.

Soon, the steward came back to let us know we had reached a safe cruising altitude, he also brought with him some more mimosas and some chocolate covered strawberries. Bella initially refused the drink, but then took one after the steward left us. The smirk I gave Bella, made her blush.

"I need something to wash down these decadent berries," she muttered before biting into the candy coated fruit.

"Edward, can you give me a tour of the plane?" The coy smile and flutter of her lashes told me the Champagne was working it's magic.

"Your wish is my command," I said pulling Bella to her feet. "This plane is bit different from the one you came out on. The main cabin in that was all one big seating area. This one, besides being bigger, has separate rooms. This here is the lounge, it's designed for open conversation and entertainment. On that far wall, the painting recedes into a hidden track revealing a plasma television. In the cabinet below it is video game console and a DVD player. Emmett and Jasper can usually be found parked in front of the screen."

Bella nodded. "I can see that. What does Rose and Alice do while their mates are busy being entertained?"

"Alice usually reads magazines or chats with Esme. Rose, well, more often than not, she likes to go up and fly the plane."

"Really!" Bella nearly yelled thanks to the alcohol. "I never knew she could fly?"

"Yeah, she has several classes of pilot's licenses. Personal, commercial, and helicopter."

"Oh my god! I could just see Rose behind the controls of a helicopter. Can anyone else fly a plane?"

"Well, not officially per the FAA, but Emmett and I could if called upon to do so. And probably Jasper, although he has problems with landings." Bella glared at me in shock. I shook my head, "Don't ask. Jasper, Rose, and the FAA would like to forget that incident."

Bella laughed, but the end came out like a small hiccup.

"Up front there is a powder room, it is also where the flight crew have their area. The galley is forward as well." With Bella's hand in mine, I led her to the back of the plane Where a narrow hallway ran down the right-hand side of the plane.

"This door is the bathroom." I opened the door to show Bella the full bathroom, including a shower. We got to the next door, which was already open.

"This is the office. Carlisle and I spend the most time in here when we fly." I pointed the side wall with its bookcase and stereo system.

"Than doesn't surprise me," she said.

"And finally here at the end of the hall, this door leads to a master bedroom." I opened the door and showed Bella inside. The room was dominated by the bed, but there was still room for a dresser and night stands. "The back door leads to another bathroom."

"This is gorgeous, Edward," Bella said as she walked around the bed. She sat down on the edge of the bed and bounced. "This is comfy. Too bad no one in your family sleeps. I'm sure it never gets used." She said coyly while stretching out on the bed.

I laid myself down on the bed next to Bella. I was the only Cullen who hadn't joined the mile-high club. Although, I had a feeling my membership card was about to get punched. I reached out to caress her cheek, but before I touched her skin, Bella jumped off the bed and fled the room. I stayed there for a moment trying to figure out what had just happened. I heard Bella go into the plane's office, so I quickly joined her.

Bella was standing in the office with sexy little small on her face. "Sit down at the desk, Edward, you are the owner of this company, after all." Bella said. I did as she asked. "Hmmm," she hummed. "To bad you don't have glasses. I always imagined a powerful executive, such as yourself, Mr. Masen, to have glasses."

 _Mr. Masen! Yes!_

Every time Bella has tried to seduce me using role playing, she always calls me Mr. Masen. I liked where this was going. Perhaps I was about to have a meeting with my naughty-secretary, Isabella.

 _Wait, glasses!_

I reached into the top desk drawer and pulled out a pair of glasses I kept to make me look older. The lenses were clear glass, and frame was polished black with chrome accents. Alice picked them out for me. When I wore them I looked almost ten years older. I slipped the glasses on and looked at a small pile of papers that were on the desk from the flight out.

I couldn't help but notice that Bella bit down on her lip after a whispered "fuck!" escaped her. I looked up at her with stern look of disdain.

"Miss Swan, you know I dislike indiscriminate cursing in the office!" I placed the papers on the desk and folded my hands in front of me. "It is unprofessional and I will not tolerate it, do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Mr. Masen! It won't happen again." Bella looked down playing her part as a chastised employee.

"Good! Please shut the door, Miss Swan. I have something I need to discuss with you and I would like to not be disturbed."

Bella nodded and quickly shut the door. She looked over her shoulder with a sinful little smile, before she engaged the lock and turned back towards my desk.

 _God! I loved this woman!_

"Miss Swan, these reports you brought me are not complete. I gave you plenty of time to get them done. What have you been doing all of this time?"

Bella bit her lip again and looked at me for several long moments.

"Miss Swan! I asked you a simple question!" I huffed with mock anger. "Why are these reports incomplete?"

"Sorry, Mr. Masen! It's just I've been having a hard time concentrating lately."

"And why is that, may I ask?"

"I would rather not say, Mr. Masen. The reason is a bit personal."

I shook my head letting her know I was not pleased with her non-answer.

"Well, Miss Swan, it may be personal, but when it impacts your ability to work, it becomes business...specifically my business. Now tell me what has you so distracted."

"Well," Bella paused as she sauntered around the desk. "You see," Bella's hand slowly moved to her shirt before she casually unbuttoned the top two buttons. She then pulled the collar of her shirt to the side just enough to expose the top of her cleavage and the blue satin bra she was wearing. "I can't keep my mind from thinking about what it would be like to do this," she nearly purred before she grabbed my face and kissed me deeply.

After a few moments of allowing Bella to kiss me senseless, I decided it was a time to take control of our little role-playing scene. I quickly stood and spun Bella so that her back was facing the desk. I gave her a cocky smirk as I was about to do something I had fantasized about doing for quite sometime. I waited a moment to check my vampire urges before I reached across the desk and shoved everything off the desk and onto the floor. I then at vampire speed, I lifted Bella, laid her down on the desk, and ripped her shirt down the middle, which caused buttons to go flying and Bella to gasp.

"Now, Miss Swan, let me show you what I have been thinking about ever since your sexy little body has graced this office."

Our dialog and play acting may have been worthy of a poorly written porno, but my assault on her body and our frantic love making on that desk was to be a highlight of my existence.

* * *

I watched Bella and her Mother talk out on the back patio of her small, but quaint little bungalow. Since we arrived yesterday afternoon, the weather here in Florida was not cooperating. Sunshine, sunshine, and more sunshine was in the forecast for the next several days, which meant I was stuck inside while Bella sat outside. The sliding glass door that separated us, did nothing to stop me from hearing their words and Renee's thoughts.

"So tell me about Charlie's new wife. Isn't she a bit young for him." Renee asked Bella.

"Well, she may seem young, but you would be surprised how well the two of them get along."

Renee shook her head as thoughts of Charlie robbing the cradle flitted through her mind. She turned back to see if was out of hearing range, before leaning in towards Bella. When we arrived yesterday, Bella and I told Renee and Phil all about our plans to study abroad next year.

"So, you and Edward. It must be serious if you two are planning on going away together on this foreign student program. I was beyond surprised that Charlie has been ok with you two dating. And, I still can't believe he is allowing you two to go away together." She shook her head. "Are you sure it is a good idea, Bella? Don't you want to stretch your wings and go wild on your own for a bit before you get so involved with a boy?"

From Renee's thoughts I could see she wanted Bella to experience all being young had to offer, including falling in and out of love with boys just so she could sow her oats. In Renee's mind she could not fathom how Bella could know what her favorite dish was if she hadn't tried everything on the menu. I was about to get up, and sparkling be damned, go outside and explain to her that Bella has no reason to sow her oats with anyone but me. However, Bella anticipated my agitation and shot me a look that clearly told me to stay put.

"Mom, I only want to experience what next year will be with Edward. I know you think I should be wild and carefree for a while, but that is just not me. I am not you. This is not me settling for the first boy I have really felt something for. This is it for me. Edward is it for me." Renee started to interrupt her, but Bella continued on. "Mom, I know you must think that it is impossible for me to know that Edward is the man I will love and cherish for all time. But I do know. I feel it in my bones and in every breath I take. He's my soulmate. And Mom, I will not be going abroad alone with Edward. Dad and Irina will be joining us. Maybe not for the entire year, but most of it."

"What do you mean they are going with you? Charlie has a job?" Renee asked incredulously. " _He would rarely even take a day off for me,_ " she bitterly thought.

"Irina's family is wealthy. This has been something Dad has been struggling with accepting, but the reality is he no longer needs to work. So he has asked the Town Council for permission to take a sabbatical. It was the only way he felt comfortable with my plans for next year. I actually think the shooting last year also weighs on his mind. Between that and Irina, I think he is starting see things a bit differently."

"Really?" Renee asked trying to reconcile this new Charlie with the man she knew. She knew Charlie was never materialistic however she did briefly wonder if Irina's money was part of her allure, before throwing out the idea. She also quickly thought about Irina's age and how alluring and sexy that had to be for a man of Charlie's age, but quickly threw that thought as well. If Charlie wanted sex, there were options available to him. No, Renee was slowly starting to accept that Charlie loved Irina. That idea stung. True, Renee loved Phil, but she would always harbor some tender feelings for Charlie. She just hoped that Irina felt the same about him.

"If that is the case, I think you are also a big part of that too, Bella. He loves you more than you know." Renee paused and looked good and hard at Bella. "You are so much like him Bella. I was always glad you seemed to inherit his sensibilities, and not mine. And, I believe you if you say Edward is it for you. I can see it in his eyes as well. He is very intense when it comes to you. Not in a bad way, just in a he-would-do-anything-for-you kind-of way."

At least Renee was right about that. I would do anything for my Bella.

"So do you have any pictures of the wedding?" She asked. "I want to get a better idea who your new step-mom is."

* * *

"So you and Irina are really not blood-related cousins?" Renee asked as she browsed the wedding pictures I had on my laptop. Despite Renee's bohemian thoughts and occasional flightiness, she was actually very astute at reading people and she remembered faces extraordinarily well.

"No, we are not," I answered. I didn't like where her thoughts were taking her. "Technically, no one in our two families are related by birth."

Renee looked at Irina. She was jealous of Irina's looks and of the way she looked at Charlie in several of the pictures. It was obvious to her they were both deeply in love. She also keep looking between me and pictures of my family."

"I think I've seen some of your family before," she said while looking at a picture of Rose and Charlie talking to one another.

"I doubt that, Mom." Bella countered. I could tell by Bella's raised heart rate that she was getting nervous. I was nervous as well. Renee was starting to put too many things to get her in her mind.

"No, I'm sure of it, despite how crazy it even sounds to me. Take Edward's sister, here." Renee points to Rose. "Here name is Rosalie, is it not?" I had not mentioned the names of anyone in my family except for Carlisle and Esme.

Bella gasped and I nodded. Renee had a very good memory for people.

"She came to Bella's dance school one night." Renee paused and sorted her memories. "She is the one that got you into the fancy dance school in Scottsdale, Bella. I am sure of it. And I know I have seen this sister as well," Renee pointed to Alice. "I just can't place where."

Renee paused as she worked through the associated timelines and the fact that neither have seemed to age. Without much thought, and faster than I thought would be possible, she reached out and grabbed my arm. She squeezed as tightly as she could, but my flesh did not yield. I looked over at Bella who was just shaking her head. Renee's mind jumped to the La Push beach as a memory of her as a teenager hearing scary tribal stories came into view. Renee pulled her hand away from my arm and gasped.

She didn't know what I was or what my family was, the stories she remembered were vague and mainly about wolves. But she immediately made a connection that the wolves existed to protect the reservation against something. She wondered if that something was my family.

"Mom, tell me what you are thinking," Bella said with a shaky voice.

Renee looked between the two of us and then back to one of the pictures of Charlie and Irina. Her mind connected the final set of dots as she realized that my relationship with Bella, and Charlie's with Irina only now made sense because it was based on something of the supernatural.

Renee jumped up and left the room. Bella immediately grabbed my hand before pleading, "Edward what is going on? Tell me! Has she figured out your secret?"

"She hasn't exactly figured things out, but that is only semantics at this point. She knows that my family and the Denali's are something other than human. She remembers old stories that she heard at La Push as a teenager."

I paused as I followed her thoughts in her bedroom, she was searching for a picture she once took while Bella and her were on a trip to San Diego. Renee found the picture and returned. This was not going to be good.

"She has a picture of," I started to tell Bella, but Renee returned.

"Edward, is the man in this picture related to you?" She asked pointing to a vampire she captured one evening while Bella and her were in the lamp-light district. He had alabaster skin and red eyes. He was a vampire I recognized and my world had just become a lot smaller than it was before today.

"That man is not related to me, however he is like me. Like my family." I responded.

"Is he...he is dangerous, yes?" She asked. From her thoughts Renee got a very bad feeling when she saw him that night. As he walked through the crowd, he brushed up against Renee. He felt like stone, cold and hard. And his eyes, besides being red, were as cold as his skin. She couldn't place it at the time, but she never forgot how she whisked Bella away from the man as fast as she could. When she was far enough away that she felt safe, she took a picture of him because she had never felt so unsettled by a person before.

"At one time he was dangerous, deadly, but he is no longer a danger to anyone."

Both Renee and Bella looked at me wanting me to explain, but I could not...at least not in front of Renee.

"Mom, please! I am begging you to not ask too many questions." Bella pleaded with her mother.

"I knew it the moment I saw him, then he brushed up against me as he hurried past," Renee continued overtop of Bella's pleas. "I never felt so cold before or so terrified. I knew he was something not normal and something evil. A predator on the prowl."

Renee looked at me as if she was seeing me for the first time. She may be prone to distraction, but she had some latent skill in knowing danger when she came upon it.

"But I don't get that from you. You would do anything to protect Bella, wouldn't you?"

"I would." I simply said as I wrapped my arms around her daughter. "I'm sorry, but I cannot say anything else regarding this man. Please understand, Renee, I am not trying to be difficult. However, your intuition regarding this man was well placed. He was a predator and he was not hunting alone. You were wise to be afraid of him."

"Was?" Bella asked looking up at me.

"Was," I replied, "as in no more."

Bella looked at the picture. From the camera angle, Renee got a good profile of the James. Somewhere close to them was also Victoria and probably Laurent. "San Diego?" After Renee nodded, Bella turned towards me. "This was summer of ninety-nine. I was eleven."

Renee took the picture from Bella. She walked over to the kitchen sink and dropped the photo into the steel basin. A moment later she lit a match and set the photo on fire.

"I only kept the photo to remind me what he looked like," she said. "Now that he is no more, I no longer need it. Plus, I am guessing you both would rather it be destroyed."

Renee looked at me for confirmation as the photo curled into a small ball of ash. Just like the vampire the photo contained.

* * *

After Renee poured herself a glass of wine, we went into the family room to talk.

"So I know you would rather I don't ask questions, but I need to know a few things," Renee said as she looked at me. "So, you and your family, and I guess Irina's family, you are not normal?" Renee didn't know what we are, she just knew that we weren't normal humans.

"No, we are not." I answered. "I can't really tell you anything else."

"I assume that Bella and Charlie know?"

"We do." Bella answered.

"And Charlie is ok with it?" She asked.

"Yes, both Dad and I are ok with it, Mom. Dad knew before I did."

"This deep connection you two have, and I am guessing Charlie and Irina have, is because of them not being normal?" Renee asked Bella.

"I wouldn't say that is a completely accurate statement," I answered. "What I am, what my family is, does not change how we feel. It makes the feelings stronger, but I would love your daughter regardless."

"I see. So you are not doing anything to brainwash my daughter into being with you?" Renee asked as this was her greatest fear.

"No!" Both Bella and answered. I placed a hand on Bella's arms to calm her down.

"No, Renee. There is no funny business at play here. My condition makes the feelings more pronounced, but no less authentic. I promise you, Bella and Charlie are not being coerced or manipulated. If anything, it is Irina and myself that have been enchanted by them."

Renee took a long sip of her wine, before asking "Why aren't your eyes red?"

"I can't answer that directly," I responded, "but I can tell you that our amber eyes are a sign that we respect and honor the lives of those around us."

"So I guess by that cryptic answer, that having red eyes would mean that you wouldn't respect the lives of those around you?"

"That is correct. If you see anyone like me, but with crimson eyes, it would be best get as far away from them as possible."

Renee nodded and drank some more wine. Her mind drifted to a number of possibilities regarding my biology. Alien was one thought. Angel was another. Luckily, vampire was not being considered.

"So, I did meet your two sisters before?" She asked.

"You did. I believe you also met Esme, my mother."

"Really?" Renee asked trying to remember her.

"She was the bookmobile attendant one time in Phoenix." Bella answered.

Renee's mouth moved into the shape of the letter "O" as she pondered both that it had happened and that Bella knew. This got Renee thinking about a lot of coincidences during Bella's youth. Some she got right, other's were not my family's doing, at least I did not think they were. Renee quickly jumped ahead to this past year. She guessed there was more to Charlie being shot. She also starting thinking about our plans for next year.

"So this exchange program, there is more to it than what you are telling me, isn't there?"

Bella nodded.

Renee thought for a moment before she gasped.

"Oh my God! This trip wasn't to stop in and say _hello_ , but to say _goodbye_ , wasn't it?" Renee pictured Bella and Charlie with amber eyes. "You and Charlie are going to become like him! You were going to leave, weren't you?"

With this realization, Renee stood and looked out the window, as she started to cry. Bella left my side to comfort and hug her mother.

"I didn't want that to be the case, Mom, but I wanted to see you, just in case." Bella was crying now too.

I sat watching the two women hold each other. I stood up to give them some privacy, but Renee reached out and stopped me.

"You will be good to her? You will love her like she deserves?" Renee asked me.

"I will. She is my other half and I will spend the rest of eternity loving her."

Renee thought about my words and the implied meaning. My family did not age. That is why Rose looks the same, even though a decade had past. She now understood. Bella and Charlie would not age. At some point, they would have to disappear and leave behind those that knew them. Leave her behind.

Renee reached up and held her daughter's face in her hands. "I don't want you to disappear on me, Bella. I understand you may need to move away and break ties with others, but not me. I promise not to ask too many questions, just please don't leave me behind. I knew when you left to be with Charlie that my time as a hands-on Mom was over, not that I was very good at it anyway."

"Mom..." Bella started to say, but Renee kissed her forehead before stopping her.

"No, Bella. We both know that I was never Mother-of-the-year material. Luckily, you have enough of your father in you. You made it easy. So, Charlie's going to be with you next year and beyond?"

Bella nodded.

"Good! I didn't do right by him taking you away like I did, and then trying to shut him out of your life. But something always brought him to you when you needed him." Renee looked over at me with a raised brow.

All I could do is look away, but in her thoughts she knew my family were their guardian angels.

 _Angels_.

That is how Renee chose to see me and my family.

"Now it is his turn. He is much better equipped to handle this new part of your life."

* * *

Bella climbed the steps of the airplane. At the top she waved to Renee and Phil who both came to the airport to see us off. The private jet before them was quite impressive. Renee wondered if sometime in the future she and Phil would have golden eyes. At one point in her life the thought of cheating death and being young forever would have been terrific, but she was genuinely happy with life and with Phil. However, she couldn't stop herself from wondering what it would be like.

Once the outer door was sealed, Bella pulled my head down and kissed me softly.

"Thank you, Edward," she whispered against my lips. "I now feel like I can go into this year without any regrets. I was able to see that my Mom is truly happy with her life in Jacksonville. Plus, I know that no matter what happens during my change, I will at least get to keep my Mom as part of my life, at least for some number of years."

"You are most welcome, Love." I whispered back. "I am happy for you and your Mom."

* * *

As soon as we were told he could move about, Bella sprinted to the back of the plane and looked into the conference room. Bella giggled at the site of a new desk sitting in room. During our passionate flight to Jacksonville, the desk did not survive our love making. As we left the plane in Florida, Bella cringed at the thought of the crew discovering the wreckage. It was then I reminded her that all of my family have used this jet, so broken furniture is not new to the crew."

"Did you just have another one of these hanging around, Edward?" Bella asked about the new desk. That naughty twinkle I loved so much was back in her eyes.

Bella grabbed my hand and led me back to the bedroom. After shutting and locking the door, she turned and asked, "Do you have another bed laying about too? I think you're going to need it."

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **So that was Jacksonville and Renee. I hoped you liked her. I do. She is still a bit of a scatterbrain, but she has some depth as well. Next up, everyone is back in Forks getting ready to put their French plans in motion. See you all Monday! Thank you for all of the support and for reading!**

 **-Chris**


	59. Chapter 59

~ Forks, Washington - June 27, 2005 ~

I stretched out languidly on Bella's tiny bed. I crossed my legs and folded my arms behind my head, as I breathed in and out slowly allowing Bella wondrous scent to saturate me. All too soon I will not have her human scent to torture and entice me.

The preparations for Bella's and Charlie's change were well underway. As I lounged in Bella's room, Charlie and Bella were down at the Forks Town Hall, meeting with the town council about Charlie's sabbatical.

Kate, Garrett, Alice, Jasper, Rose, and Emmett were up in Alaska. Kate and Garrett were getting the Denali guest house ready for Irina and Charlie to use, and most likely destroy. My family was trying to fix up the cabin on the property I bought, before we traveled up there next week. I told them to not worry too much about the cabin's amenities, as once Bella was changed, things like a working kitchen or a functioning outhouse, would no longer be necessary. Also, given Bella's expected strength and temperament, I expected a fair amount of structural damage to occur to the cabin.

Finally, Carlisle, Esme, and Irina were at my family's house discussing the specifics of how Irina should change Charlie. Even though the plan would be for Carlisle to stay close to each couple as a precaution, Irina and I were excited to be the ones to change our mates. Given that I had witnessed the act several times and already discussed this at length with Carlisle, I did not feel the need to go over the process again. Instead, I wanted to basque in the ambiance of Bella's room.

After today's meeting with the Town Council, we had one more major task on our plate. One that I was not looking forward too. We had to meet with the Quileute leaders to let them know what the plans would be, and ask for two exemptions to the treaty. We did not expect the tribe to take our news or our request well, even though I had seen in Billy Black's and Harry Clearwater's thoughts that expected Charlie's and Bella's mortality to end at some point. Further complicating the matter was that Alice had not been able to see the outcome of the meeting, so we would have to wait to see what our future held with regard to Forks and the Quileutes.

* * *

The blasting ring of my phone interrupted my solitude…again. Over the past hour, Emmett and Rose had called several times to go over cabin details. The roof, chinking, fireplace chimney, and window glazing all required work. Also the generator was beyond repair, so a new one would be needed. After the third call, I gave them _carte blanche_ to do whatever they felt was needed. I was not worried, at least until I heard Alice squeal in delight.

 _What am I thinking allowing Alice to have free reign! Next week, instead of a rustic cabin, I just know I will find the Taj Mahal!_

I glanced down at the phone. Instead of Emmett or Rose, it was Alice.

With a heavy sigh, I answered, "Alice, if you are calling to ask about bedding thread count, I am going to hang up."

"No!" Alice's slightly panicked voice got my attention. "Edward, Bella and Charlie just disappeared. I can't see them right now."

"What?" I exclaimed as I bolted up from the bed.

"Perhaps one of the Quileutes attended the meeting at the last minute, but that is all I can guess at this moment."

I tried to remain calm. It was probably nothing to worry about, but I would not chance anything when it came to Bella and Charlie.

"Ok, I'm going down to the Town Hall now," I said as I darted down to my car.

"Good! I knew that you would. I'll keep a lookout. Should I call Irina?"

"Um, let me see what's going on at the Town Hall. If they are not there, I'll text you."

"Sounds good, and Edward? The bedding is a four hundred thread count of one hundred percent organic Egyptian cotton." Alice teased.

"Thank you for the heads up, Alice! Bye!" I hung up and started the car.

Charlie's house was just outside of my gift's range to the Town Hall. I was glad I would start to hear the council member's thoughts after a few turns in the road.

* * *

I parked the car in front of the Town Hall. From the thoughts inside, the meeting went as expected and ended quickly. The three town council members were sad about Charlie leaving, but they felt Mark would make a good replacement. They would wait the mandatory forty-eight hour waiting period, but Charlie would get his sabbatical.

I could not hear Charlie's thoughts or Bella's heartbeat, but Mark was still on site, so I went inside to see if he knew where they went.

"Hello, Deputy Mark," I greeted. "Or, should I call you Chief now?"

"Hey, Edward. Charlie will always be the Chief in my mind, but yeah, I think the council will grant Charlie his request."

I could see from his thoughts that Charlie was very emphatic that Mark be named _interim_ Chief, at least until Charlie tells the council, in a year or so, that his sabbatical would be permanent.

"Well, congratulations! You deserve it." I causally looked around pretending to search for Charlie and Bella. "Is Charlie still here?"

"No, towards the end of the meeting, Harry Clearwater came by. After it was over, he asked if Charlie and Bella could go down to the Rez."

"Oh," I responded as calmly as I could, but I was now anxious beyond any reasonable measure. Billy and Harry were furious with Charlie over his choice of wife. Much to Charlie's chagrin, they were not on friendly speaking terms from what I understood. They forbade Charlie to step foot on Reservation grounds, after what they felt was his betrayal and utter stupidity for marrying a bloodsucker.

Mark looked around to see if anyone was listening in before softly adding, "I think Harry and Billy wanted to say goodbye in private, and I hope, apologize for the whole Irina dust-up. I don't know why they dislike Irina so much, because she's seems perfect for Charlie. Hell, if Charlie and Irina don't mind the age difference, why should anyone else. It's pretty obvious they are head-over-heals for one another. Anyway, Charlie and Bella followed Harry back to the Rez."

"Or maybe Harry just wanted to spill some of the latest fishing gossip," I quipped, hiding my anger. "Ok, thanks, Mark, and congratulations again!"

I shook Mark's hand, making sure I did not break it, given how unbalanced I felt.

 _God damn it!_

If the wolves felt Irina or I would not break the treaty and go to the Reservation to ensure our mate's safety, they would be wrong. Dead wrong.

* * *

I quickly texted Alice and Irina, before I sped down the road that led to the Reservation. I had decided that charging into hostile territory, half-cocked, was probably not a great idea. As I approached the infamous treaty line, I caught the thoughts of two Quileutes in their wolf form, just inside the woods. I knew I could not use my gift from the treaty line down into the Reservation. The distance was too far, however with the wolves being present, I may not have to violate the treaty…at least unless I really needed too.

I jammed on the car's brakes, screeching to a halt at the side of the road, not three feet from the treaty line. I got out and stepped right on the boundary. The two wolves both came through tree line, before snapping and snarling at me.

"It's going to take a hell-of-a-lot more than your growls to get me to leave!" I said to them in my most commanding voice. "I know Bella and Charlie are at the Reservation. I also know you have the ability to communicate amongst yourselves in wolf form."

The two wolves looked to one another momentarily before snarling at me again. From their thoughts they were not aware that we had that knowledge. They also did not know that I could read their thoughts. If I was lucky, I could use both of these unknowns to my advantage.

"Go tell Sam Uley I am here, and that he has an hour to return Charlie and Bella before I come down and get them!" I stepped back and leaned against my car with my arms folded. I glanced at my watch and raised my brow. "Time is ticking away here. Sixty minutes and then things are going to get interesting."

The smaller of the two wolves snapped at me, before tearing through the woods back to the reservation.

* * *

I could tell from the thoughts of the remaining wolf, that only three Quileutes had the ability to shape shift. Sam Uley, their alpha was the first. Then the wolf in front of me, Paul. And finally a younger boy, named Quill, whom just left to pass on my message.

Through Paul's mind, I followed Quill through his trek. As he reached the reservation, he phased back into his human form. Unfortunately, I lost the connection to him as soon as the change started. Paul, got more agitated knowing that until Quill or Sam phased back into a wolf, he was alone with me. He wasn't necessarily afraid, although he really should be. He was young and inexperienced with my kind, and I was fast and motivated. He would not last long if it came to a fight between us. I probably would choose to not kill him, but maiming was a certainty.

I continued to lean against the car, acting as casual as I could muster. My nonchalant attitude, only aggravated Paul even more, which of course was the entire point. After a few minutes, Quill phased back into wolf form. He was positioned right outside Billy Black's house. As he relayed Sam's orders, I heard them as well.

 _"I told Sam about the bloodsucker at the border. He wants you to stand guard at the line. I am to stay here and report back any changes. If the bloodsucker moves across the line, Sam wants to know immediately, but do not take him down. Only attack if Sam gives the ok."_

Paul did not have a problem being the first line of defense. Although knowing he could not attack me as he wished, caused a ferocious growl to escape his snout as he paced back and forth in front of the line.

Once Paul calmed down a bit, he used his connection with Quill to listen in to the conversation inside Billy's house. The wolves' have hearing that is better than a human's, but not quite as good as a vampire. Luckily, Quill's hearing was more than adequate to hear the talk within the house. Which is what I was hoping for. Between the telepathic link between Quill and Paul, I would be able to hear as well.

 _"There is a bloodsucker out at the highway treaty line,"_ Sam told the assembled people at Billy's _"It's the young one that favors, Bella. He said we had an hour to get Charlie and Bella back before he comes here to get them."_

 _"I would like to see him try,"_ Billy spat.

 _"No, you really don't, Mr. Black,"_ Bella answered defiantly. _"I've seen some of Edward's speed and strength. You have no idea what to expect should he cross that treaty line."_

 _"And if I had to guess, 'Rina won't be far behind."_ Charlie added. _"You don't want to see her angry! Given that our last conversation ended with you threatening me and Bella should we ever come back to the Reservation, you should have expected our loved ones would not like us coming here. So lets get this show on the road. You asked us to come. We are here. Edward has given you an hour, I am giving you even less."_

I smirked at Bella's and Charlie's bravado. Even though I could only hear the spoken conversation and not any thoughts, I could tell Bella and Charlie were not happy being summoned after the Quileutes acted so unreasonably when they found out Charlie was going to marry Irina. Facing Charlie's and Bella's wrath was not something the Quileutes should take lightly. Between the two of them, there was a lot of pent up anger and hurt.

I heard the thoughts of Irina, Carlisle, and Esme approaching at a high rate of speed as they ran through the woods.

" _I am almost there, Edward!_ " Irina screamed in her thoughts. _"If those damn wolves so much as touch my Charlie, treaty or not, I will make them pay!"_

A moment later, Paul was facing four vampires, instead of one. He took a step back and snarled at my newly arrived family. Irina crouched and hissed back at Paul with equal animosity. It was her first time seeing one of the Quileute spirt warriors in wolf form, but she wouldn't care if he was twice as big as he was. She was quite irate and lethal.

Quill, saw the whole thing in Paul's thoughts, so he phased back into a human. When he did, my connection to Black residence was once again broken.

"Where are they?" Irina spat from her crouch as she glared at Paul. "Is Charlie ok?"

"Harry Clearwater asked Charlie and Bella to go to Reservation for a chat," I responded while I remained calm and continued to lounge against the car. "Charlie and Bella are fine. I gave the Quileutes and hour to have their chat before I would cross the line and escort them home. Now I am waiting."

"How can you be so calm!" Irina hissed. "To hell with an hour, I say we go now!"

 _"Can you hear Bella and Charlie through the shared mind link?"_ Carlisle asked in his thoughts. I just simply nodded. I refused to openly give away our tactical advantage.

Carlisle leaned down and whispered to both Irina and Esme that we needed to remain calm and follow my lead, given that I was using the wolves link to one another to listen in. Carlisle and Esme joined me, and leaned against my car, echoing my stance, while Irina worked to suppress her anger.

" _Irina and the wolf appear to have the same temperament_ ," Esme thought to me as she watched both creatures pace back and forth.

I nodded again and smirked at how close to the truth that statement was.

My eyes and focus shifted to Paul once Quill phased back into a wolf.

" _I just told Sam that there are now four bloodsuckers at the line,"_ Quill spoke telepathically to Paul. " _He says nothing has changed. Hold your ground and I'll relay back any changes._ " Quill and Paul did not like this new change in the odds, but Sam was the alpha and his word was law.

Soon the conversation continued at the Black residence and my focused shifted.

 _"Three other bloodsuckers just arrived at the line,"_ Sam told the group. _"Carlisle and Esme Cullen, plus Charlie's…"_

 _"I think the correct word you are looking for is wife,"_ Charlie interrupted. _"Any other term besides that, and you and I will be having a serious problem."_

 _"Fine! Your_ wife _has arrived, and she's pissed,"_ Sam added.

 _"Told you,"_ Charlie quipped. _"Now I'm pissed. Your time just got shorter. Say your peace, or we're leaving."_

I motioned for Irina to come over to me. When she was close, I whispered to her, "Your husband is a badass." Followed by a quick wink.

Irina looked at me for long moment and gave me a small smile, before thinking, " _Thank you, for that._ " She seemed to calm down a bit knowing that Charlie was standing his ground. To Irina, he was always her hero.

 _"So, I'll just come to point of it,"_ Billy spoke. _"I heard you are leaving your job as Chief of Police and traveling for a year or more. You know the treaty we have with the Cullens forbids them from changing anyone. If you go through with what I am thinking you have planned…"_

 _"You'll what, Billy?"_ Charlie interrupted. _"Hunt us down? Kill us? The treaty you have with the Cullens never took into account mating, which is what has happened for both Bella and I."_

 _"You can't be serious, they just have you both glamoured or something,"_ Sam replied.

 _"Sam…"_ Harry said before Sam continued.

 _"The bloodsuckers are only playing with you! You can't actually believe they feel something like love for you? They're monsters!"_ Sam spat.

 _"How dare you!"_ Bella yelled back at Sam. _"You know nothing about Edward, Irina, or the rest of the Cullens. They don't go around spewing hate like I hear from your saintly tribe. Look in the mirror, I think you'll see who the real monsters are here."_

 _"Hey, Sam,"_ Charlie added. _"Were you glamoured by Emily? Is that why you left Harry's daughter? Maybe, Emily is just playing with you."_

 _"How…"_ Harry said before Charlie cut him off.

 _"How, what?"_ Charlie continued. _"How did I know that Sam imprinted on Emily, and left Leah, your daughter, without looking back! That's what you call it right, imprinting. Yeah, well don't look so surprised. Do you really think after the send off you gave me before my wedding I wasn't going to dig into your tribal history and keep my ear to ground to hear what has been going on at the Rez? Did you think I wasn't going to find out about the scar Emily has on her face or how she got it?"_

 _"Yeah, what exactly do you tell yourself, Sam, when you look at Emily."_ Bella added. _"I bet you feel no guilt what so ever, because you are the leader of the big, righteous, cult of La Push wolves, aren't you! No monsters here to worry about, huh?"_

I couldn't help thinking to myself that Bella was also pretty badass as well!

 _"Look, I can see this was a mistake coming here,"_ Charlie told the group. _"For one moment I allowed myself to believe that you got your heads out your rear ends long enough to see that vampire mating and Quileute imprinting are really the same thing. I couldn't stop falling for 'Rina if I tried, and neither could she. Maybe it was wrong for me to throw Sam's imprinting into this, but just like he never had a choice once it happened, neither did Irina or I. The same goes for Bella and Edward. You know, it was I who asked Carlisle to setup the meeting with your tribe for the day after tomorrow. You see, I had this foolish hope that someday I could return and at least show you that I was ok. But now, I just want to get the hell out! You showed me your true colors when I decided to get married. I see nothing has changed. Some tribal story this will make, huh? Although somehow I think you'll forget to add the part about being a bunch a hateful, hypocritical bigots!"_

Charlie paused. I could hear how hurt he sounded has he confronted his long-time friends.

 _"By the way, Harry, just remember where you would be right now if it wasn't for the Cullens. They took all your tribe's insults and hate on the chin without any complaints. And, when you needed help, they showed more forgiveness, compassion and understanding in one hour than your whole tribe has shown me, my wife, or them since their arrival. They saved your fucking life, Harry! Somehow that won't make it into the tribal stories either, I'll bet. Yeah, they're monsters, aren't they? Come on, Bella, we're leaving!"_

There was sound of movement in the house, before the door opened. Charlie and Bella stomped out of the house. Through Quill's eyes I could see he hurt and anger on both of their faces. Bella and Charlie looked up at Quill. The shock of seeing the giant wolf was clear, but neither stopped until they got to the car.

Charlie started the engine and backed out on to the small road that wove through the Reservation. Before driving forward, both Bella and he looked onto the house and shook their heads. Suddenly, the front door of the house swung open.

 _"Charlie, wait!"_ Billy cried out. Charlie hesitated before putting the car into park. Billy wheeled himself over to the driver's side of the car, where Charlie had his window open.

 _"Despite what some other elders may want,"_ Billy said solemnly before looking over at Sam and Harry, each nodding back at Billy, _"I'm throwing out the treaty with the Cullens. It is no longer needed. If you decide to come back to Forks, with golden eyes of course, I will be looking forward to seeing my old friend." Billy paused, before adding, "And your wife."_

Charlie nodded before putting the car in gear and driving away.

Sam phased into a wolf, and through my connection with Paul, I immediately picked up his thoughts. Sam was ashamed of his words and actions, both today and in our previous encounters. He never considered himself a hateful person, but somehow he was. He also never considered that his view of the world was tainted by only accepting parts of the tribe's long history, but it was.

Perhaps the tribal stories would one day tell of how a pair of humans, mated to vegetarian vampires, helped the spirit warriors learn acceptance and tolerance.

* * *

 _"Paul, Quill, stand down and meet me back at my house. The Cullens and Irina Swan can come and go as they please. We no longer need to have a treaty with them. They are not a threat or our enemies."_ Sam gave the pack his orders.

Upon hearing them, Quill was relieved, as he never wanted a fight. Paul, on the other hand was furious, but would comply. He gave us one more threatening snarl, before running off into the woods to meet up with his pack.

I gave him a salute as his receded into the woods. "I miss him already!" I said mockingly, before turning to my family.

"What's going on?" Irina asked anxiously. "Is Charlie leaving? Is he safe?"

"Yes, he and Bella are driving out now. They should be here in a few minutes." I said as I just started to pickup Charlie's thoughts, which unsurprisingly, were of Irina and if she was ok.

"I was able to hear most of the conversation, thanks to the wolves telepathic link. The short version of the story is the tribe has decided a treaty between us and them is no longer needed."

Carlisle and Esme looked stunned at this revelation and what it implied.

"Does this mean the Quileutes will not retaliate once we change Charlie and Bella?" Irina asked.

"That is correct, Charlie and Bella are free to be changed. Also, there will be no need to leave Forks if we don't want to once their newborn phase is over." I looked over my shoulder at Charlie's cruiser approaching. "I'll let Charlie and Bella tell you the whole story, they were both amazing."

 _Rights after I kiss my badass Bella senseless!_

* * *

 _ **Author's Note...**_

 _ **Well, at least before the gang heads to Alaska, Charlie was able to get some closure with his Quileute friends. Thank you all again for reading and reviewing! I'll see you on Friday.**_

 _ **-Chris**_


	60. Chapter 60

~ Denali Residence, Alaska - July 6, 2005 ~

"Wake up, love, we're here," I whispered to my sweet Bella as she slept in my arms.

After our flight into Anchorage, we took the Alaska Railroad train north to Talkeetna. From there, I enjoyed holding my mate close, while I ran through the wilderness until we reached the Denali's family home.

Bella stirred and sighed in my arms, before jolting herself awake. She blinked a few times taking in the Denali homestead and the surrounding landscape.

"How long was I a sleep?" She asked.

"About an hour," I replied. "You needed your rest. You hardly slept on the plane or on the train."

Given that Charlie, Irina, Carlisle, and Esme joined us on the plane, we could hardly do what we did on our previous flights back from Paris and Jacksonville.

"Even going on foot, we beat Charlie and company here," I continued. Charlie and company were picked up in Talkeetna by Garrett. Given that overland was more direct than the winding and rustic roadways leading to the Denali's property, we still had over an hour before the rest of the family arrived.

Bella looked around and smiled, while cupping her chin in thought. "Hmm, I wonder what we could do until they get here?"

I couldn't help but chuckled at my little amorous Bella. Too bad I had to burst her horny little bubble.

"I hate to tell you this, but we'll be visiting with Carmen, Kate, and Eleazar. Our family may not be here yet, but they are."

Bella face dropped and she gave me the cutest little pout, while up at the house I could hear the three Denali family members laughing at our expense.

I quickly kissed her nose, before heading towards the house. "I promise we'll be alone soon and you can have your wicked way with me then."

* * *

"So, are you ready for this?" I asked Irina as we watched Bella and Charlie say their goodbyes to one another.

"Yes! I am so tired of worrying about Charlie's health, or whether he is going to get hurt at work, or crossing the street, or when we have sex. I don't know how you stay so calm all the time."

"I have my moments. The beginning of the last school year was tough. Between guys lusting after Bella, and girls plotting schemes against her. It took me a good three months to suppress the urge to kill a dozen or so of the Forks student body. Plus having to deal with the various school illnesses that went around was a challenge. I'll tell you, when she got the flu in January, I was beside myself with worry, especially since my parents died from Spanish influenza."

"Oh! Don't get me started on other women flirting with him. He doesn't see it, but I do. I can't even imagine what it would be like hearing their thoughts!"

Irina shook her head as she recalled one woman who ran into Charlie at the produce isle of the grocery store. She kept touching him and she asked him to help her pick a good cucumber. Irina was standing only few feet away, yet the other woman was shameless in her advances towards Charlie. In his defense, he registered none of it because he only had eyes for Irina.

Alice left her conversation with Carmen and literally bounced down towards Irina and I. Since she and Jasper arrived a bit ago, she had been translating Jane Austen's _Pride and Prejudice_ into Mandarin.

"I'm so excited!" She squealed. "You both are going to be so happy! I wanted you both to know that I don't see anything bad happening in either change. Charlie's will take about seventy hours, three minutes. Bella will speed through hers in sixty-one hours and thirty-four minutes."

I was happy Bella's change would be quick, relatively speaking. I really dreaded the pain she would have to go through. Irina's thoughts were similar.

"Well, Bella's ready to leave, so I'll see you both afterwards!" Alice said before giving us each a hug before skipping off to be with Jasper.

Right on queue, Bella and Charlie approached.

"I'm ready, Edward. Dad and I are both ready." Bella said as she wove her fingers with mine.

"Ok, love." I replied before facing Charlie. "I will take good care of her. Alice has seen everything going smoothly for both of you."

I offered my hand to Charlie as my promise to not screw up making Bella into a vampire. Charlie eagerly gave me a strong handshake…well strong for a human.

"Thanks, Edward. Bella and I were talking, and I think it would be best for you to change Bella first. That way Carlisle can be out at the cabin as a precaution, then come back here and be our safety net as well. I know I'll feel a lot better knowing Bella's change was underway."

I looked over at Carlisle. He had been listening in on our conversation. " _That plan sounds reasonable. Esme is going to be with me as well, just in case._ " He said in his thoughts.

"That sounds good." I told Charlie. "Good luck! I'll see you both in a month or so."

I scooped Bella up in my arms which caused her to giggle. "Well, I guess we should go, love." I then turned Bella and I towards everyone else.

"Good bye!" Bella and I both called out as we waved towards our families. Every single thought I read expressed how happy they were for Bella and I.

" _Take care of my little girl!_ " Charlie told me in his thoughts. " _I am trusting you, don't make me regret it._ "

I remembered the previous times he has said the same exact thing to me. I looked back at Charlie and winked, before running into the woods with the love of my existence.

* * *

It took about an hour to get to our cabin. Carlisle and Esme went ahead of us. All I needed to do was follow their scent to find our cabin. During the trip we talked about a number things, including the memory journals Alice had helped both Bella and Charlie make. It was important to Bella and Charlie that they preserve as many of their human memories as possible. The memory journals were a combination of writings, pictures, and videos that documented key, and some inconsequential, moments from each of their lives. The plan was for Alice to deliver the journals once Bella and Charlie felt they could concentrate on them.

We also talked about the change itself. Bella had definite ideas on how she wanted the change to happen.

"Edward, for the change, I don't want to wait long at the cabin. I want us to get settled in quickly and then get on with it."

"If you wish, love, but we have all the time in the world, so you don't need to rush this."

"Oh, I know, but I am kind of anxious," Bella paused and bit her lip before continuing. "I am also a bit scared," she said in timid voice.

"Bella, you have every right too feel both anxious and scared. This is a big event. One that we only get a single chance at. I would be lying if I said I wasn't anxious and scared too." I kissed Bella chastely and held her closer to me as we traveled through the wilderness. "However, I am also excited and eager to have you join me."

"I am those too!" She added. "It's just, well…today is the day and…I…I wanted to…"

She looked away from me as if she was too embarrassed at what she wanted to say.

"Love, look at me." I softly asked. After a moment and a deep breath, she turned her gaze back to me. "Bella, I love you more than anything. There is nothing I will not do for you, so if there is something you want to do before the change and it is within my power to grant, we will do it. I promise. Ok?"

Bella hugged me close. "Ok," she said slowly. "What I want is for you to change me while we are making love."

She looked at me with an expectant, almost pleading look. I was only slightly surprised by her request. Sex and blood are very closely related to one another for a vampire. It would be another lie to say I'd never imagined changing Bella while we were being intimate.

"I know it may sound weird," she added, "or even a bit kinky, but I want my last human memory to be of us joined together physically, while you use your venom to join us permanently to one another. It seems…and I know this will sound weird…but it sounds very romantic to me."

"Bella, it's not as weird as you may think. I have fantasized about that very scenario as well." Bella's eyes went wide at my admission before I trailed kisses from her lips, down her cheek, and to her ear, which I then whispered into. "And I too think that being joined with you physically…sexually…emotionally…is perfect as I bind us together in immortality. Your wish is my command, love."

Bella shivered in my arms. Her blooming lust was easy to detect, so I picked up our pace and sped quickly towards our future.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note...**_

 _ **They are in Alaska! I went there a five years ago on vacation. Talkeetna was one of my favorite stops on the trip. One highlight of our time in Talkeetna was meeting Mr. Thumbs (a very lazy cat) at the little coffee shop in town. Also, the ride on the Alaska Railroad from Fairbanks to Anchorage was amazing! I recommend adding it to your travel bucket lists.**_

 _ **I know this chapter was a little short, but Monday's update will be what everyone has been waiting for...if you catch my meaning :)**_

 _ **Thank you to everyone that has left a review! I love reading your thoughts on this story. Finally, OTL has pickup up some new readers this week...welcome!**_

 _ **-Chris**_


	61. Chapter 61

~ Edward and Bella's Cabin, Alaska - July 6, 2005 ~

"Edward, this doesn't look like the picture you showed me." Bella said as we both viewed the cabin that would be our home for the foreseeable future. However the building standing in front of us was not the dilapidated structure I purchased, or even a renovated version of it. This was a large, multi-level log cabin that should be in the pages of an architectural magazine.

"I…I don't know what to tell you, love." Before I could continue, the front door of the cabin opened, revealing Carlisle and Esme.

" _Don't look to me for answers_ ," Carlisle said in his thoughts. " _I just found out about all of this a few days ago._ "

"Surprise!" Esme called out to us. "Come on in and I'll explain everything, although I will just say, Edward, you should have at least asked Mr. Jenks about the seller when you purchased the property."

Esme's sneaky smile and thoughts told me some of what I wanted to know. Mainly, that I purchased this property from my own family, specifically, Esme.

Once inside, Esme confessed all.

"When you decided to move to Chicago six years ago, Alice and Rose came to me about this property. They knew I wanted a place where we could all call home beyond just a handful of years at a time. A place we could escape to that was more convenient than Isle Esme. Alice was, of course, cryptic in her insistence on _this_ property, but I knew she saw something that made it perfect for us."

Esme grabbed a surveyor's map and handed it to me.

"Edward, what you purchased, which, by the way all of the money you paid went to help families and shelters in Fairbanks and Anchorage, is just part of the total parcel I purchased. With Alice and Rose's help, I divided the parcel into five sub-plots, each about twenty some-odd square miles in area. Over the ensuing years, we arranged to have five cabins built. Carlisle's and mine is roughly in the center, with the other four arranged outside in a loose circle. Each of my children will have their own place, yet we will be close enough to still have family time together."

Esme glowed just thinking about this arrangement. To her, it was her special way of giving back to the family she loved.

"I am confused, Esme," Bella said as she studied the map. "Why five sub-plots? There are only have three other couples."

"Alice, insisted on five and I did not understand either until Charlie mated with Irina," Esme answered before pausing a moment in thought. "Actually, at that time, I don't think Alice exactly knew why five made sense. It just seemed to feel right to her. Five made her the happiest, so who was I to complain." Esme smirked at the memory that with five she would one day be welcoming a new addition to our family. She really liked that Charlie and Irina were that addition.

"Really?" Bella replied. "So Dad and Irina will have a spot here too?"

"Yes! And you don't have to worry about him being too close, if you know what I mean." Esme said while bumping Bella's shoulder. The implication caused Bella to blush and Carlisle to look away in embarrassment. I on the other hand, was ecstatic about the arrangement. "Their cabin is on the western edge of the property closest to the Denali's. Your's and Edward's is on the opposite side. In fact, your cabin is far enough away from the others, that even with Edward's gift, you both should have privacy."

Esme's generosity and forethought, humbled me. I did not need Alice's gift to see what the future held. My family happy and together, yet able to still enjoy our mates privately.

Without any further thought, I hugged Esme. "Thank you! All of this is beyond wonderful. I know I haven't said it enough over the years, but I love you. I am so very happy you are now my Mother."

"I love you too, Edward," Esme said before releasing me and hugging my tearful mate. "And I love you too, dear," she whispered to Bella. "I know you both will be so very happy together."

"Now," Esme said while she released Bella from her hug, but still kept an arm around her shoulders. "Edward, you and Carlisle need to go out for a quick hunt while I spend some time with Bella pampering her a bit. Give us about an hour. Now shoo!"

* * *

I sighed as swallowed the last mouthful of blood from the moose I just captured. Logically, I understood the need to hunt, but I wanted to be back with my Bella. First making love to her, then changing her, so we could start our forever together.

I tossed the carcass aside, knowing the wolves would soon find it after we left. I walked slowly to the top of the small crest and looked out over the Alaskan wilderness. It was beautiful here. I glanced at my watch and frowned. I still had forty-five minutes to kill before I could head back to Bella.

"Nervous?" Carlisle asked as he approached from where he had just finished off a moose of his own.

"A little," I replied as I tuned towards Carlisle. "But mostly, I'm excited! Part of me never expected that I would find my mate. Now, in just a few days Bella will be by my side, forever."

"I was excited and nervous before, and during, all of the changes, but especially Esme's. I enjoyed our solo time together, Edward, and I love all of my children, but, Esme completes me in a way I never knew possible."

I knew all of the this from his thoughts. Esme and he shared a bond together that no other being could fulfill. It was the same for Rose and Emmett, Jasper and Alice, and now Bella and myself.

"Carlisle, I never properly thanked you for gifting me this extraordinary life. Besides Bella, your companionship has been the most treasured relationship I have had with another being. I am so very grateful to have you in my life. Thank you for being my sire and my father."

I embraced Carlisle in a hug. No other words were spoken. They weren't needed. In his thoughts it was if the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders. He knew I had struggled with so many demons. Some he wrongly blamed himself for, others he wished he could take on himself to ease my distress. But now, he and I both could move forward into the future without the ghosts of our shared past haunting us.

* * *

I raced towards the cabin and my Bella. I could just catch Esme's thoughts as she ran into the dense forrest to meet with Carlisle. Both of my parents would wait just within hearing range of the cabin. They suspected that before I changed Bella, we would be enjoying some intimate time together. They wanted to give us privacy so Bella and I could share this one last human experience together.

Once I picked up the cadence of Bella's heartbeat, I slowed to savor the rhythm that has meant so much to me. I entered the cabin and followed the sound up the log stairs to the main bedroom, where I was met with the glorious sight of my Bella lounging on the bed wearing the most sinful negligee I had ever seen.

"Are you ready to make me yours?" Bella purred, while a sexy smirk curled up from her lips.

I slowly unbuttoned my shirt. "Love, you've been mine since the first time I saw you in Phoenix."

I tossed the shirt onto a chair before kicking off my shoes. Bella's eye widened and her heart rate strummed faster as she ogled by naked torso. I unzipped my pants before dropping them, and my boxer briefs, to the floor. Bella bit her lower lip and waggled her finger to coax me to come to her.

As I slid into bed next to my beautiful Bella, she wrapped her arms around me before kissing me slowly. As the heat from her body soaked into mine, her negligee did very little to hide her lithe form from rubbing up against the cold stone of my skin. Soon our lust ignited and our need to be joined became a sensual inferno.

"I love you, Edward. Make me yours, forever." She whispered against my lips

She would not have to ask again.

"I love you, Bella, forever." I replied before I settled myself between her thighs.

* * *

For the past hour I had been worshipping her human body, committing all that she is to memory. Her heartbeats…her heat…her skin…her scent…her breaths…her gasps…her moans…her very life itself had been etched into my soul for the final time.

I felt Bella shake beneath me as her fifth orgasm overtook her. With one more final thrust I allowed myself to be carried over the same precipice, as we shared this final human joy together. Bella locked her gaze with mine, nodded, then she exposed her neck in a final act of surrender. As I pulsed within her, I stored forever in my memory the lovely variegated brown color of her human eyes.

After one more kiss and final oath of my love for her, I bared my teeth and bit into Bella's tender flesh. I did not wait for the rush of blood before I started to push my venom into her. Despite being my singer at one time, savoring her blood now seemed repugnant to me. Internally my beast howled, not in victory, but rather in abhorrent disgust at finally tasting my Bella's blood. The moment her fragile body registered my venom, she seized and cried out in pain. I quickly injected her with more than twice the amount she would need for the change, before I sealed my fatal wound.

I would do anything…I would give anything…to be able to take away the searing hellfire now coursing through Bella's veins. However, I knew all I could do now was hold my mate while her human life was incinerated away. Before I could lay in vigil with her, I left her side for only a couple of seconds while I slipped on my pants and slid her writhing arms into the sleeves of my shirt. She always told me wearing my clothes to bed allowed her to sleep better. I knew my shirt would bring her zero solace during the change, but I wanted her surrounded by as much of me as possible.

I slid in behind Bella and wrapped my arms around her, enclosing her within my embrace. I refused to spend the next two and half days expressing guilt or sorrow to Bella. So instead of mourning the loss of her human life, I planned on whispering to her my undying love and tell her about all of the wonders of the world I wanted to share with her.

Soon, Bella's cries of pain eased and she calmed in my arms. I was surprised by this this. The other changes I had witnessed included long stretches of thrashing limbs and cries of anguish. My family had done its best to prepare Bella and Charlie for the fiery torture they would undergo. I know I had spent probably too much time secretly lamenting that the price for Bella's immortality would be the igneous horror of her change. However now, with my arms and love surrounding her, Bella's flailing had subsided and she was almost calm. I could tell by her occasional random jerks and the trembling of her lips that the inferno still raged beneath her skin, but at some level my touch and words soothed her. For this I was grateful.

* * *

As we continued to lay upon the pyre, I never once stopped holding my beloved or speaking softly to her.

Shortly after I closed her wound, Carlisle and Esme came to check on us. After quickly diagnosing that Bella's change was underway and proceeding well, they both left to provide support for Charlie's change.

Over the ensuing hours, I could slowly start to sense the seismic changes going on to my mate, as her body started to shift from human to vampire. It started with the gradual lowering of her core temperature. Next came the subtle changes to her skin and hair. I could also feel her gradually grow more heavy and dense in my arms. Flesh that once yielded to the slightest of my touch, had started to become firm.

About fifty hours into the change, I could tell Bella's consciousness started to transform. I remembered this portion of my change as well. As the venom changed the biology of my brain, I started to sense the outside world around me. The hellfire still raged, but a small sliver of sanity was able to rise above it. As I held and spoke to Bella, some part of her could now recognize my words, and in response, she would often squeeze my hand or snuggle in closer.

Now, nearing the end of the change, Bella was stunning. Her temperature was nearly the same as mine. Her skin was flawless and luminous, except for the light crescent shaped scar on her neck that would forever marke her as mine. Her hair shimmered with new body and highlights that would make any runway model envious. Her exotic and floral scent was sensual and arousing. Her grip upon my hands and arms, was strong, and even painful when a surge of fiery pain wracked her body. She was perfect.

As the final seconds ticked away, Bella's heart thundered in her chest and her sweet breath came out in pants and gasps. I shifted her in my arms so we were facing each other. Suddenly, her body arched and shook violently as her heartbeat stuttered a few final times, then stopped.

I anxiously stayed motionless, still holding Bella, waiting for my mate to awaken to her new existence.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note...**_

 _ **The change is done...and like the cliff-hanger ending of the BD 1 movie, you will have to wait just a bit longer to meet vampire Bella. At least the wait won't be a year like between the BD 1 and BD 2 movies ;)**_

 _ **You don't know how much it means to me that people are enjoying this story and willing to share their thoughts. Thank you for reading and reviewing! See you on Friday.**_

 _ **-Chris**_


	62. Chapter 62

~ Edward and Bella's Cabin, Alaska - July 9, 2005 ~

After a few of the longest moments of my existence, Bella's eyes slowly fluttered open. At first her gaze seemed unfocused before her crimson eyes settled on mine. I worked hard to pickup even the slightest whisper of her thoughts, but unfortunately Bella's mind was still closed to me.

Slowly, Bella raised her hand and caressed my cheek. "Edward," she purred in a manner that fused itself with my soul and lit me on fire. "You're so beautiful."

"Welcome back, Bella," I replied softly.

Before I could register what had happened, Bella had flipped us so she hovered overtop of me. She giggled in a bell-like tone at the speed she was able to move us both. After her mirth subsided, she kissed me deeply, nearly attacking my mouth with hers. As our tongues clashed, she reach up and threaded her fingers into my hair. Soon the kiss became more frantic and she tugged my hair to the point I felt pain.

"Unhhh! Bella, love," I groaned. "Ease up a bit. You are stronger than me right now."

Bella loosened her grip and giggled again. "Sorry! I don't want to break you, at least not yet." She said with a saucy wink, before kissing me again.

There were so many things I wanted to say or ask, but with a flick of her hand, my pants became shredded. I reciprocated by tearing her shirt.

Talking would obviously come later.

* * *

"You really have been holding back," Bella breathed against my bare chest.

"I guess I have been," I replied as I looked around at the destruction our love making had caused. "By the way, I should have said this before, but I love you."

Bella looked up at me and smiled. "I love you too. So much, Edward." She reached up and picked a feather from my hair, however with her new strength she pulverized it between her fingers. She shook her head before twirling her fingers in front of her face. The awe reflected in her eyes was obvious.

"I see and feel so much," she said absently. "When I opened my eyes and saw you, it was like I had never really seen you before. Plus, I thought that I known true love before, but now! It's like my previous feelings were like a grade-school crush. I feel so much for you now. I…well I just had to have you. I just had to show you what I was feeling."

"That is how I have felt since I picked you up at the Seattle airport. Our connection will only grow and get stronger." I said before kissing the top of her head. "I am sorry the change was so painful, but I am so very happy that you are now immortal."

Bella reached up a caressed by face and neck. I knew she needed the physical connection, because I needed it too.

"I am not going to lie, the change was terrible! I knew it was going to be, but nothing anyone could have said about it could do the pain any real justice. But I knew you were there holding me. Talking to me. Somehow I was able to focus on that. Focus on what we would have afterwards. Then at some point, it was like there was two of me. One that burned and one that listened to you, and all of the lovely things you told me. I can't say it was bearable, but I knew then I would survive it. Finally when the burning stopped, I opened my eyes and saw you. I would go through that change again a hundred times over to be with you Edward. Although I am really glad I don't have too!"

The sound of a flock of birds taking flight outside our cabin caused Bella to startle and jump from the bed. She hissed and snarled, while her head dart repeatedly between me and the window.

"It's ok, love." I said quietly, while I slowly got off the bed and approached her. I remembered this part of my first reborn moments, where any unexpected sensory input set me one edge. I knew for Bella, it would take a while to become accustomed to her heightened senses. Carefully I reached our and took hold of her hand. The moment our skin touched, Bella snapped her gaze down to our hands and sighed. I pulled her into my arms and kissed her forehead.

"It was just a flock of birds," I whispered.

"Really?" She answered while she nestled in closer to me. "I've been trying to not freak out over…well, everything." Bella paused for a moment and breathed in my scent. "The feel of sheets against my skin. The sound of the air moving. The dust motes floating by. Its…"

"Overwhelming," I answered. Bella looked up at me and nodded. "It will be, love. It will take you a while to get use to the world."

Bella frowned as her gaze followed some dust floating to the floor. "How long does this last?"

"For me, it was several months, but a lot of that was dealing with hearing the thoughts those around me. For Rose, her human personality would never allow others to see her as anything other than perfect. This carried over and she willed herself to shut out the distractions from almost her first moments as a vampire. Emmett and Esme were about the same. After a week they would stop reacting to every new or sudden sensory input."

"I want to try something," Bella said as she shrugged out of my embrace and stood by herself near the window. She took a couple of needless breaths and allowed herself to just feel everything around her. After a few minutes, she raised her hand for me to grasp, so I took her hand in mine. Bella remained still for another few minutes before she walked over to me and wrapped my arm around her.

"There is so much to take in," Bella whispered. "But when we touch, it's like I am able to quiet the world. And when you hold me, it's like heaven."

"How do you feel now," I said as I squeezed Bella closer to me, because I agreed that having her in my arms was heavenly.

Bella paused, scrunched her brow before rubbing her throat. "Now the only discomfort I feel is in my throat."

Given that we spent the better part of a day making love after she awoke, I am not surprised her thirst is now a pressing need.

"Come on," I told her. "Lets get dressed and go for your fist hunt."

* * *

Bella stood outside the cabin as still as a statue taking in the world around her. I thought it would be best for her to get use to the enhanced sounds and sights of nature before we just ran off into the forrest.

"I don't want to hurt anyone," Bella whispered. "I know you cannot guarantee that I won't, but…"

Since getting out of bed, Bella has started to understand her strength and the danger she poses to humans. The destruction of our bed was one piece of evidence. Another was that she immediately shredded her clothing just trying to get dressed. And then finally, was the cabin's front door, which she ripped from the structure trying to open it.

Except for Rose, everyone in my family has either purposely or accidentally killed a human to quench their thirst. Rose does have blood on her ledger, but her human fiancé and his cronies deserved their fates. Bella was right that we could not guarantee she would never slip, but at least for now I would do everything I could to keep her from having that regret on her conscience.

"Love, my family and I will do all that we can to keep that from happening." I reached out with my gift to see if any thoughts were able to be heard. All I got was silence. "Today, though, you will not need to worry about that. No one is around. I promise if I do pickup any human thoughts, we will head in the opposite direction."

Bella nodded.

"Ready?" I asked one final time. Bella nodded again. "Good, I think you are going to like what comes next. Follow me."

I darted off into the forrest. After a moment of hesitation, Bella ran after me in pursuit. Soon she is running next to me, giggling at the speed she is was able to achieve. She instinctively darted under branches and dodged obstructions, all while her head jerked in all directions taking in the new sights, sounds, and smells. As we reached a small ravine, I jumped across the expanse effortlessly. Bella did the same, without even noticing what she was doing, before landing next to me.

"Holy shit! That was fun! Let's do it again!" Bella squealed in delight, however before she could leap back over, he head turned quickly towards the smell of a creature we were downwind of. She lifted her head and inhaled deeply before dropping into a crotch and hissing.

I slowly knelt down behind Bella, careful to not startle her. "You smell that, love? That's going to be your first hunt right there." I inhaled deeply, allowing the sent to trigger my thirst as well. Bella was going to have a good first meal. "When I say, I want you run through those trees until you hear the animal's heartbeat. Believe me, you won't miss it. Then follow the sound. When you reach the animal, you will be much stronger than it. Bring it to the ground and drink from its neck."

Bella panted and snarled. She was fierce and sexy.

"Go!" I finally said. An instant later Bella and I were tearing though the Alaskan wilderness towards an unsuspecting bear. Soon she picked up the heartbeat, and raced towards it source.

Without any hesitation, Bella launch herself on to the animal, breaking several of its bones upon impact. The bear's strength was no match for Bella's. Instinctively, she bared her teeth and sunk them into the writhing creature. The smell of animal musk in the air was soon replaced with the tangy scent of the bear's blood. Bella savagely sucked upon the bear's flesh, until she calmed and started to savor her first meal. Soon the animal's heart slowed as she took long pulls of blood from the creature.

Watching my huntress unleash herself was the most erotic thing I had ever seen. After she had drained the creature, she dropped the carcass and looked back towards me. In a blur I was pushed straight through a tree. Her mouth was on mine before we hit the ground. The taste of the animal's blood in her kiss drove me nearly insane with lust. If this is how hunting with Bella would be, I was glad we would have an eternity to experience this carnal bliss…over and over again.

Bella's exploring hands easily shredded my clothes, and I could not have cared less. I was her willing victim as she took me hard and fast on the forrest floor.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note...**_

 _ **So there was our first glimpse at vampire Bella!**_

 _ **As some of you have already guessed, there will be no Renesme in this story. In truth, I always hated that portion of the canon story line...especially the whole Jacob angle (or would that be tri-angle). As if Jacob imprinting on an infant (which is wrong in so many ways) made nearly three novels of his emotional blackmail ok. Plus, and this may seem strange given it is a series of novels about vampires and werewolves, but the entire vampire-human breeding arc was the most unbelievable aspect of canon. I know a lot of you liked it...and I can respect that point of view...but as a person with a scientific background, to me it was ridiculous. To wrap up my tiny rant on this...lions and lambs cannot produce offsprings together!**_

 _ **Thank you for reading and reviewing! With Bella's change, we are in the final third of my original story, but there is still a lot more to come.**_

 _ **-Chris**_


	63. Chapter 63

~ Edward and Bella's Cabin, Alaska - July 15, 2005 ~

"Fuck!" Bella yelled before I heard a loud crash.

I darted up the stairs of the cabin to find Bella sitting on the floor mumbling about ruining everything around her. The crash I heard must have been her taking out some frustration on what use to be the dresser, which was the last piece of furniture that remained undamaged in the bedroom.

"Love?" I asked quietly.

Bella did not look up at me, but instead just sat dejectedly, shaking her head.

"I almost had my shoes tied this time, but I pulled the laces too hard and ripped them straight through my shoes." Bella held out the destroyed tennis shoe as she presented me with evidence of her crime. "It pissed me off that can't even get dressed without destroying something, so I kind of kicked the dresser." Bella finally raised her head and looked at me. She looked so defeated. "Sorry."

"Bella, did I ever tell you about Emmett's struggles with his strength?" I asked while I sat down next to her. Bella leaned against my shoulder and shook her head.

"Well, after his first month as a vampire, the family basically had to abandon our house in the Adirondacks. You see, Emmett liked to go outside the house without a shirt on to see himself sparkle in the sun. One day, Esme interrupted his sun bathing to ask him to bring in some water from the well we had on the property. As he was pulling up the bucket of water, he grabbed the side wall of the well. It crumbled under his strong grip, which caused the entire side of the well to collapse. Emmett lost his balance and fell into the water down below. We all heard his cursing, so we came out just in time to watch Emmett leap, soaking wet, from the well."

"That doesn't sound too bad," Bella said before she paused. "Wait, there has to be more to the story."

I grinned and nodded. "Oh, there is! When Emmett leapt from the well, his pants caught on a root or some debris, and were ripped from his body. He did not immediately realize this had happened, and at that time, he was in the regrettable habit of going commando under his trousers."

Bella started to giggle. "You mean when he landed he was naked!"

"Yep! Emmett stood there in front of the entire family, naked as the day he was born, sparkling. And before you ask, yes, _everything_ was sparkling!"

"Oh my God! What happened next?" Bella asked between her guffaws.

"Emmett shook himself off like a wet dog would have, still cursing, while we all watched. Rose was the first to comment by snarking that the well water must have been cold. Emmett looked confused before he looked down and finally noticed his state of undress. He then let out the most un-manly yelp, before he ran into the house. In his haste to get inside, he took the back door off its hinges. This, combined with his naked leap, caused Emmett to slam into one of the walls of the house in frustration. The only problem was, the wall he struck was structural. So, shortly after his body hit the wall, a good portion of the house came down on top of him. We all stood in stunned silence as the house crumbled into a pile of dust and debris. After a few moments, Emmett emerged from the rubble, still very much naked."

Bella was nearly rolling on the floor laughing. To be honest, I was too.

After I calmed down a bit, I finally finished the story. "Needless to say, Esme was quite upset. And, for years after that, Rose would occasionally taunt Emmett by calling him Mr. Sparkle Peen."

* * *

To avoid another wardrobe disaster, I finished tying Bella's second favorite pair of sneakers for her. Carlisle and Esme were expected soon for their first visit since Bella's change. It would be the first of several visits from my family. Given how volatile newborns can be around one another, we would not be seeing Charlie or Irina for several more weeks. During my parent's visit, I would make sure to pull Esme aside and have her bring Bella a new pair of her _favorite_ sneakers on their next trip to see us.

"Thank you, Edward." Bella said quietly. "It seems I take a step backwards for every couple of steps forward. But at least the cabin is still standing." Bella finished with small smile.

"Well, it did take Emmett a month to actually knock down the house, so you still have time." I teased. Bella playfully slapped my arm and this time, it did not hurt, so progress was definitely being made.

We both looked around the bedroom, which was a lost cause in terms of destruction. I could see Bella frown as she looked upon the room.

"Love, I have seen worse from my other family members." I told her while I gave her a much needed hug. "Soon enough, when we destroy a bed…and we will…it will only bring on fond memories of our love making. Now let's go meet Carlisle and Esme. I can just now pickup their thoughts."

Bella and I went outside the cabin and sat down on the rough hewn bench and waited. Soon we could hear Carlisle and Esme approaching. As they broke through the tree line, they both smiled at the scene in front of them. Given that they would be Bella's first guests as a newborn vampire, they slowed and approached us a a human pace.

"Hello!" Esme called out.

Bella waved happily before she rose to meet my parents. I followed slightly behind. As we got within a few feet, Esme opened her arms and Bella, careful not to knock her over, walked slowly into my mother's hug.

"You are so beautiful, Bella." Esme said softly, "And you look so happy."

Bella squeezed Esme carefully. "Thank you, and I am happy!" She answered back. "So very happy!"

After Esme and Bella ended their embrace, Carlisle hugged Bella as well. "Being immortal suits you, Bella," he greeted.

"Thank you, Carlisle." Bella replied softly.

We all walked back towards the cabin. Both Carlisle's and Esme's thoughts were focused on how perfect Bella seemed as a vampire. I agreed completely with their assessment.

Once inside, Bella moved cautiously to take a seat on the couch.

"How is my Dad doing?" Bella asked. I knew Bella has been concerned about Charlie, however given that no one had come to tell us otherwise, we both guessed his change went as planned.

In Carlisle's thoughts the sight of Charlie before his change surprised me. Before I could question what I saw, he looked over towards me. " _Please don't say anything. He wants it to be a surprise_ ". He told me in his thoughts before addressing Bella's question.

"He is doing well," Carlisle answered. Bella took a deep, unnecessary breath and then smiled. I could feel her relax next to me knowing that Charlie was ok. "Your father's change was largely uneventful. Irina initially had some hesitation performing the change, but Charlie calmed her down and she eventually was able to change him. I have not seen him directly since he awoke, but Esme spoke to Carmen. He has been struggling with the typical newborn issues of strength, focus, and bloodlust. However he seems to really enjoy hunting with Irina."

"I've been having some newborn issues as well," Bella told them. "I've broken a lot of stuff and my emotions can be all over the place."

"That's completely normal, dear," Esme told Bella. "Just ask Carlisle and Edward. I struggled with my new strength. We all did. And, I remember being quite emotional at times. Just being able to sit here and talk to us is something to be proud of, Bella."

"Thank you," Bella told Esme before she reached over to hold my hand. "Is it normal for Edward's touch to calm me as much as it does?"

"Yes, that is a trait of mating." Carlisle answered while Esme nodded her head. Each reached out and held hands. Carlisle sighed at the contact. "Even after nearly four centuries of existence, Esme's touch centers me and makes feel at peace like nothing else can."

I lifted Bella's hand and kissed it tenderly. Her touch would always be my home.

"Bella, can I ask you some questions?" Carlisle asked. "The doctor in me is curious."

"I don't mind," Bella replied with a smirk. "I was kind of expecting it."

Carlisle pulled a chair up next to Bella and started his questioning, while Esme sat down next me on the couch so we could have our own conversation.

"I don't think I've ever seen you so happy," Esme told me.

I instinctively squeezed Bella's hand. "That is because I never have been this happy. I can't even put into words how wonderful the past week has been."

"Luckily, you don't have to, dear. Anyone can see that both you and Bella are glowing with love and joy. It's all I ever wanted for you. I am so glad you both found each other and that you have forever together."


	64. Chapter 64

~ Edward and Bella's Cabin, Alaska - July 18, 2005 ~

Bella pulled the shirt carefully over her head and smiled brightly when it did not rip.

"Moose wasn't too bad," she said as she carefully pulled on her jeans. "Much better than wolf." Bella shivered at the thought of her hunt we went on three days ago once Carlisle and Esme left. "Plus it was kind of a thrill when the moose charged me. I still can't get over that I can handle these large animals like they are kittens. I am pretty sure that moose would have killed me as a human."

Bella looked back toward where the moose's carcass was disposed of. I could see the excitement dancing in her eyes.

"I kind of like being a predator," she said almost absently.

I wanted her know that what she felt was normal and not something to feel bad about. The Lord knows I spent too much of my existence feeling guilty over secretly enjoying being at the top of the food chain.

"It is one of the perks of being what we are," I told her. "The thrill of the hunt is very satisfying, even if it is not challenging at times. Wait until you find yourself one of the big cats. They are quick and unpredictable. And they taste pretty good too!"

"I bet the sex after one of those will be amazing!" Bella said while allowing her eyes to follow down my torso as her tongue snuck out to wet her lips. "I especially like that part of hunting!"

"As do I, love. More than you will ever know." I paused and looked fondly at the couple of trees Bella and I toppled. I thought back to the countless times I hunted alone. I never really considered the act arousing. However, now that Bella has joined me, I find that I look forward to our post hunt intimacies a great deal.

"How much time do we have until Emmett and Rose show up?" Bella asked before biting her lower lip and cocking her brow. She was so unbelievably sexy. Just with that little look she had me ready to go again.

"Unfortunately, not enough do what we just did," I replied as I not so subtly adjusted myself. "However, if we are quick we should have time."

Bella's eyes flashed with excitement and lust. She moved to remove her clothes but I stopped her.

"Allow me, love," I told her, while I lowered her jeans and then mine. I gently bent her over at the waist as came up behind her. "We won't have time to both fuck and run back to get new clothes for you," I whispered in her ear.

Bella moaned at my profane language. I wasn't often crass, but a semi-clothed quickie in woods would not be considered making love. I was determined to show Bella that my colorful choice of words was an accurate foreshadowing of what was to come next.

* * *

As we panted from our powerful orgasms, I slumped down overtop Bella and whispered my love for her.

Since her change, sex has been beyond amazing. We both experienced and felt so much more, now that I did not have to hold back or worry about being gentle. Our impromptu quickie was animalistic and frenetic, yet also more intimate than any of our previous couplings. It felt like my very soul was wrapped inside a bubble with Bella's, and, although impossible, it was like I could hear all her wanton thoughts.

Before I could voice my revelation to Bella, we heard Emmett's deep baritone voice calling out to us.

"You better get decent, Eddie!" He yelled. "The last thing I want to see is your pasty white ass!"

Bella pushed me off of her and giggled, while she pulled her jeans up. "Edward!" Bella playfully hissed. "Why didn't you tell me you heard them approaching!"

I struggled to understand that as well. I should have easily heard Emmett's and Rose's thoughts well before they would have been in audible hearing range, but I never heard anything. I only registered their thoughts when Bella pushed me away. Now that my gift seemed to be working again, I could also hear that Jasper and Alice had also come for a visit.

I was still confused about what had happened, when I felt Bella's hands on my thighs. I looked down to see Bella kneeling before me while she gently raised and then fastened my pants. It was at that moment that my family came into view, catching Bella and I in a somewhat compromising position.

"See," Emmett barked. "I told you they were doing the nasty."

Bella ignored Emmett and rose with a worried look on her face.

"Are you alright, Edward?" She asked.

"I think so," I replied. I wished I had more time to understand what had just happened, but my family's untimely arrival prevented that luxury. A sighed inwardly and turned towards our company. "Let's welcome our guests, love."

Each one of my brothers and sisters approached and greeted Bella. She held my hand the whole time, but instead of me calming her, it was the other way around. As they commented on how good it was to see Bella as a vampire, I continued to think over my gift not working.

As my family and Bella chatted, Jasper could sense my unease. In his thoughts he asked, " _You didn't pickup our thoughts while you and Bella were…busy…with one another_?"

I looked over at my brother and just shook my head.

Bella pulled on my hand. "What's going on?" She asked. "You seem distracted."

Everyone looked at me. "I am sorry, love. I am a bit distracted." I said while looking down at Bella's worried expression. "While we were _together_ just now, it felt different. I felt connected to you in way that went beyond just physical. During that time, I did not hear any of their thoughts as they approached."

"What does that mean?" Bella asked.

"It means Eleazar's guess about Bella was correct," Jasper answered. We looked at him expectantly, hoping for some explanation. "Eleazar, Carlisle, and I were talking after Carlisle visited you both. Eleazar had mentioned that he secretly thought that because her mind is silent to you, Bella might be gifted, possibly even a shield of some sort. However, he could not get an accurate read on any latent gifts while she was still human. He wanted to know if Carlisle had noticed anything. He hadn't, but I do. Right now, Bella is resisting my efforts to calm her."

"That's you!" Bella said as she whipped around and glared at Jasper. "I could feel something pushing at me. Stop it now!" She hissed.

Jasper raised his hands in surrender. Bella sighed before rubbing her temples.

I reached down and cupped Bella's face. I knew the contact would settle her. "Love, you being a shield would explain why I could never hear your thoughts. You have the ability to protect yourself from our gifts. When we were being intimate this last time, I think I know why I couldn't hear their thoughts as they approached. I was somehow pulled inside your shield."

"Um, I think I did that," Bella said quietly. "What we were doing was so intense and I wanted more of you. I wanted to feel you everywhere. I wanted to pull you closer to me. Then somehow you were. It felt like you were part of me."

"That would also explain why I think I heard some of your thoughts," I added

"You heard me?" Bella squeaked as her eyes darted away from mine.

"I did and I liked it," I said while I placed my forehead on hers. Bella smiled and we both closed our eyes. We stood there for a long moment enjoying our connection, before we remembered we had guests.

* * *

"I wasn't expecting you and Alice to visit today," I said to Jasper once we were back outside our cabin.

"Once Alice told me what she saw happening, I had to come and see it for myself." Jasper answered. He worked hard to school his thoughts, but enough slipped through to allow me to see what Emmett had planned.

As if on cue, Emmett called out to Bella. "Come on Belly Button! I challenge you to a dual of strength!"

"Emmett, I wouldn't if I was you," I said, but he wasn't listening to me.

"Let them go," Jasper told to me while rubbing his hands together. "This is going to be good!"

"Yeah, shut it, Eddie," Emmett called back to me. "I promise not to break your girl." Emmett thought it was impossible my little, petite, Bella could best him.

Bella looked back at me with one brow cocked in question. I just nodded before adding, "kick his ass, love."

Bella blew me a kiss before she turned her attention to Emmett.

Alice and Rose joined Jasper and I, while Emmett set up a makeshift arm wrestling table using a couple of large rocks.

"You know he is going to sulk when he loses," Rose told me. Emmett glared over at his mate before mouthing "what-the-fuck". Rose just rolled her eyes and dismissively waved him away. "I love you, Em, but my money is on Bella."

Emmett and Bella approached the make-shift table and clutched hands to arm wrestle.

"No taking it easy," Emmett grunted.

"Oh, don't worry, I won't," Bella answered back.

"On the count of three," Emmett said. Bella nodded and they both got ready.

"One. Two." Emmett counted. "Three!"

A millisecond later, the sound of granite stone being shattered was heard, as Bella easily beat Emmett. Emmett cursed and shook his arm.

"No fucking way!" He grunted. "Best two out of three."

"Bring it!" Bella answered right back.

Emmett quickly arranged another stone. Alice was working hard to shield her thoughts, which meant this was going to be good.

Bella and Emmett squared off. "On three again!" Emmett barked, while Bella just shrugged.

"One! Two!"

Emmett did not wait for three before flexing against Bella's grip. Emmett grunted with effort as Bella's arm only flexed slightly. She gave Emmett a sly wink before she easily pushed Emmett's arm down, shattering the stone again, while also causing Emmett to fall to the ground.

"Fuck!" Emmett bellowed, as he pouted in defeat.

"Yes!" Bella yelled, while she danced and bounced in place. She was beautiful and sexy! I couldn't wait to get her alone.

After a few more celebratory moves, Bella reached out a hand to help Emmett off the ground. Emmett, huffed out an angry breath, before accepting Bella's help. However instead of standing up, Emmett tried to pull Bella down as another test of his strength. Bella easily foiled his trickery by standing her ground and shrugging off Emmett's effort.

"You really shouldn't have tried that," Bella countered. She then grabbed one of his legs, spun around, and hurled Emmett fifty feet into a tree, which shattered on impact.

We all laughed at Emmett's utter defeat, including Rose.

As Emmett brushed off the tree debris, Bella yelled to him, "Have you had enough, Mr. Sparkle Peen!"

Emmett's mouthy dropped open before glaring at me. "Dude! You told her!" He cried out. "Not cool!"

Next to me, Jasper was doubled over in hysterics. In his thoughts, he was barely able to ask, " _Mr. Sparkle Peen? You have to tell me the story behind that name!_ "

* * *

 _ **Author's Note...**_

 _ **So there was a couple of vampire Bella chapters. Unlike the unrealistic canon timeline, this Bella is indeed taking a few steps forward and a couple back. On Friday there will be a father-daughter reunion. Thank you all!**_

 _ **-Chris**_


	65. Chapter 65

~ Edward and Bella's Cabin, Alaska - August 9, 2005 ~

"Do that again!" Bella squealed. "I don't know how you are able to do that with your tongue, but I need more of it!"

I raised myself from my position between her legs and looked up at my gorgeous mate. She was beyond sexy in her current state of post coital bliss. I truly hated not being able to grant her wish, but we had a schedule to keep.

"Love," I breathed before placing a kiss on her inner thigh, where as a human, she once had a tiny mole. "I would love nothing more than to keep worshiping your body, but we need to get in a quick hunt before we go meet Charlie and Irina."

Bella raised up on her elbows and looked confused. "Edward, what are talking about? We have days until we are meeting my Dad and Irina."

I placed another soft kiss tight below her belly button. "I am sorry, love, but we only have a couple of hours, not days."

"What?" Bella said before she leaned over the bed to view the small alarm clock that sat precariously on top of the now destroyed nightstand. "What day is it?"

"Tuesday, August ninth," I said while trying hard to contain my smile.

"No!" Bella gasped as she sat up straight and looked out the window. "Are you telling me we have be having sex for three days?"

"Yes, love. And if I wasn't so sure Charlie would come looking for us, I would keep having my wicked way with you until you begged me to stop or we broke Carlisle and Esme's record. Now, if we are quick about it, we can get in a quick hunt and get cleaned up in the lake before we head over to meet Charlie."

Bella looked at my eyes for long moment. I was sure they were starting to get black with thirst. She frowned, then darted out of bed and stood in front of the mirror.

"Holy shit!" She exclaimed. "You're right! My eyes are black as coal." She glanced at me before looking back into the mirror. A sweet little giggle was her only final response.

I stood and came up behind her. I wrapped my arms around her waist before I gently kissed her shoulder.

"You were rather distracted these past few days," I told here before placing a kiss on top of her other shoulder. "I know you are excited to finally see Charlie, but I give you my promise, that once we are back here, I will do my best to distract you again."

* * *

"Why are we meeting here?" Bella asked as we arrived at Carlisle's and Esme's cabin.

"Neutral ground," I replied. "It would not take Charlie long to figure out what we were just just doing for days at our place." I tapped my nose for emphasis. "Likewise, you would surely know what Charlie and Irina have most likely been up to as well."

Bella made her mouth into a shape of an "O" before muttering, "good point."

The cabin door opened and my entire family came out to greet us. Two newborns can get quite volatile around each other, so reinforcements seemed prudent. After a few minutes of pleasantries, I picked up Irina's thoughts coming through the woods. A few moments later, I picked up Charlie's as well. Like Bella, he was excited too.

Bella smiled brightly when she saw Charlie and Irina come through the line of trees.

"Dad!" Bella yelled. She ran to meet him but stopped a few feet away. She raised her hand to her mouth and gasped. "Dad, you shaved off your mustache!"

"Hey, Bells," Charlie said before he rubbed his upped lip. "Um, yeah. 'Rina convinced me that perhaps going through eternity with facial hair was not a good idea."

I could see from both Charlie and Irina's thoughts that what really happened was that Irina shaved part of it off while Charlie fell asleep waiting to hear from Carlisle that Bell's change was underway. By the time he woke up, it was too late. Enough had been removed that he was required to shave the rest of it off. Charlie looked younger without it, so now with his flawless vampire complexion, he and Irina looked a lot closer in age.

" _I never really liked that damn thing, anyway,_ " Irina commented to me in her thoughts.

Charlie and Bella slowly approached each other. Charlie was amazed at how beautiful and grownup Bella now looked. He was also greatly relieved. Hearing Bella's change went through without any issues, was not enough for him. He wanted to see her with his own eyes and know that she was fine and immortal.

He opened his arms and an instant later Bella ran to him.

"I missed you, Bells."

"I missed you too, Dad."

Charlie wrapped his daughter up in his arms and the both hugged. After a moment Charlie's eyes flew open and his nostrils flared.

I could see in his thoughts that, despite Bella and I cleaning off before coming, he could smell me all over Bella. Charlie released Bella and charged at me.

"You bastard!" He bellowed as he picked me up and tossed me a good fifty feet away. "What have you been doing to my daughter!"

I barely had time to register the shocked thoughts from some of my family, as well as the mirthful joy from others, before Bella slammed into Charlie, knocking him back into a tree that shattered on impact.

"That is my mate! " Bella yelled at her father as she setup in front of me in a protective stance. "You will not touch him again!"

Charlie jumped up. Irina tried to hold him back, but he just shrugged away from her before racing to where Bella was standing.

"I can smell him all over you, for Christ's sake!" Charlie spat back as he balled his fists.

His anger was jointly fueled by his vampire-heightened paternal instincts and his newborn temper. I tried to step in front of Bella, as I needed to protect my mate, but Bella just pushed me back behind her. When her hand came in contact to me, I felt wrapped inside Bella's essence for split second. It was just long enough for me to hear her thoughts.

" _I will not let him hurt you, Edward!_ " She thought. Then, as soon as she quit touching me, I lost the connection to her mind.

"That's because," she seethed while poking Charlie in the chest, "He and I just spent the past three days going at like rabbits trying to break Carlisle and Esme's record!"

Shock flooded Charlie's face as he comprehended her words. Words that I was positive would make him hate me for all eternity.

"What do you mean Carlisle and Esme hold the record?" Emmett yelled out us.

"Yeah, I thought Emmett and I held it," Rose added. Both of them couldn't believe they did not hold the family marathon sex record.

"You thought wrong," Esme snuggly quipped, before returning her attention to Bella's and Charlie's family drama.

Bella shook her head at the now pouting Emmett and Rose, then she turned back to Charlie and poked him the chest again. This time she put a lot more force into it, which caused him to wince.

"And you know what?" Bella added. I was afraid at what else she would tell him. "I can smell Irina all over you! So don't get all high and mighty with me. We are mates, what do your think we do? What do you think we have been doing for quite sometime?" Bella gave him another poke. "You don't ever get to touch Edward like that again or so help me, you and I will have a serious problem with one another!"

I groaned internally at Bella's words. Her newborn anger seemed to remove any verbal filter she may have had.

Jasper tried to calm both Charlie and Bella with his gift, but a moment after he started, Bella whipped her head around towards him.

"No!" she snarled, then in Jasper's mind I could see his gift rebound back at him, causing him to stumble back one step.

Jasper raised his hands in defeat. " _Damn! That mate of yours is quite powerful_!" He told me in his thoughts. His mood control still worked on Charlie, so he kept trying to defuse his anger towards me.

Bella looked back towards Charlie. Instead of poking him again, she stood right up in front of him with her face nearing touching his. "Eternity is an awful long time, Dad, so you better get over this! Don't make me pick between you or my mate, because you won't like the outcome!"

Charlie looked between me and Bella. Jasper's influence was working. His anger was waning. In its place, he wondered if he was overreacting as Bella seemed to think he was. I saw in Charlie's mind him get an almost overwhelming notion that he was indeed wrong in his actions. This went beyond what a normal person would experience in determining if something was right or wrong. This was absolute and immutable to Charlie. I then realized Charlie's gift was that he could discern the truth in a situation. As a human, it manifested itself as his gut feeling. However, now as a vampire, his mind told him directly what was right or wrong. His recognition of the error was nearly a tangible entity, one that Charlie could conjure up at will. Charlie Swan was perhaps the worlds most powerful lie detector.

"I am sorry, Bells," Charlie said. "I was wrong to attack Edward and I don't want you to have to choose." He then sighed. "I know you and Edward are mates. I'll just have to find a way to accept that you are no longer Daddy's little girl." As the words left him, I could see in his thoughts the manifested image of his wrong doing fade away as justice had been served.

"Oh Dad!" Bella cried before embracing him in a hug.

"I hate newborn mood swings," Jasper muttered what the others were thinking.

* * *

The remainder of Charlie's and Bella's reunion went by without any further violence or meltdowns. After each compared their change, which was a topic Carlisle was keenly interested in, they went on telling each other about their hunting activities. Luckily the current detente held, as Bella and Charlie refrained from getting into what happened after each hunt.

After a couple hours of catching up, Bella went over to speak privately to Irina. She wanted to tell Irina how thankful she was that her father's change happened without any issues.

While they spoke to one another, Charlie approached me, which caused everyone's attention to turn to us.

"I am sorry about before, Edward," said as he held out his hand in friendship. I shook his hand with mine and I flinched when Charlie squeezed too hard, however it was done, not out of animosity, but rather because he was using too much of his newborn strength.

"It's in the past, Charlie, no harm done," I replied. Then with a smirk, I added, "At one time you lamented that you could not properly threaten me as father should be able to." Charlie worked through some foggy memories until he came upon the time when we spoke just after Bella had moved to Forks. He returned my smirk in recognition. "I guess now you can."

Charlie nodded his head in understanding and approval of my lightening of the mood. "I want to thank you, Edward, for changing Bella. She told me you kept her grounded and focused while the venom worked its way through. I am glad you were able to ease at least some of her suffering." I nodded to him. "Bella and Irina mean everything to me, thank you for allowing me to keep both of them."

"You are welcome, Charlie. Bella means the world to me too. For a long time you have been more than just an authority figure or Bella's father. I not only consider you a friend, but I look forward to someday you being my father-in-law."

"I am looking forward to that day as well," he replied as he patted my shoulder before pulling me into a quick hug.

Charlie felt truly blessed to be added to our family, and to get to spend eternity with his daughter and mate. The thoughts of everyone else around told me they all felt the same about him and Bella. I did as well.

* * *

Charlie and Bella hugged each other one final time. It had been an emotional visit, but also a good one. We decided to meet up with Charlie and Irina again in a couple of weeks. Until then, each would start the process of going through the memory journals Alice had helped them prepare.

As Charlie and Bella said their final goodbyes, Rose came over to me and gave me a nudge. "Edward, we are going to head back to our cabin now too," she told me. "I just have one question before we go. How long is Carlisle's and Esme's record?"

* * *

 _ **Author's Note...**_

 _ **I hoped you liked the family reunion! Plus you got a glimpse of Charlie's gift.**_

 _ **I can't believe this story passed 500 reviews! Thank you all so much! I'll see you on Monday.**_

 _ **-Chris**_


	66. Chapter 66

~ Edward and Bella's Cabin, Alaska - September 13, 2005 ~

"Is there anything you would like to do for your birthday?" I asked Bella while we both sat on a ridge looking out over the Alaskan mountains.

Bella snuggled in closer to me and sighed. "Nope. This is perfect. Best birthday ever."

I wrapped my arm around her and resumed looking at the wilderness. She was right, this was perfect. Over the past two months, she had taken to immortality better than anyone could have expected. Charlie still battled with newborn issues, but Bella's improvement over the past month was impressive. She still occasionally struggled, but most days were like today, where she was able to stay relaxed and focused.

Bella reached up and threaded her fingers with mine. I immediately felt myself being sucked into her shield. I loved when she did this. It was intimate and gave us both a way to be connected to one another.

" _I love you, Edward_ ," she said in her thoughts. I knew it took a lot of effort for her to completely open up her mind to me, so I cherished every time she did it. I sighed and focused on the sublime feeling of being inside her shield.

"I love you, too," I whispered back.

"I also love how much more of the world I can experience," she said vocally. "I was missing so much as a human. Now, it's like I am living for the first time."

I felt like I was living for the first time as well.

"The colors are richer," she continued. "The smells are so much more complex. It's all just so wonderful. The only thing I miss is sleeping. Well, not really sleeping, but dreaming."

"Dreaming, huh?" I asked as I tried to remember what it felt like to dream. I have of course seen the thoughts of humans while they dreamed, but I largely forgot what the emotional side of it was like.

"Yeah, I miss the randomness of it. My new mind seems to process and makes sense of so much more. I kind of miss those few moments just after you wake up, when you are stuck halfway between the dream and reality, and nothing makes sense."

I thought back to my time in Volterra, specifically when I came out of Alec's mind numbing fog. To shake off the unsettled and melancholy feeling this memory caused, I relaxed and allowed myself to mentally fall further into Bella's shield. I wanted…no needed…to get even closer to her. So I reached out to her very essence.

Thinking of waking up as a helpless passenger speeding away from Volterra, I hated the feeling of uncertainty and not knowing what made sense. I was scared that the half-conscious limbo I found myself in meant I had died and I would never see Bella again. If coming out of a human dream was like what I experienced in Italy, then I was glad I could not dream.

"I am sorry you had to go through that, Edward." Bella said while shaking her head. "I hate to think what could have happened to you while you were so vulnerable in Volterra."

"Bella?" I said as I jolted upright. My sudden movement surprised Bella and her shield snapped back into place. I looked at her for a long moment trying to understand what just happened. "You heard what I thought?"

"You thought that?" She replied. "I thought you whispered it."

"No, it wasn't whispered. I was revisiting a memory."

Eleazar once wondered if I could evolve my gift so I could push my thoughts to others, rather than just hearing everyone's thoughts. I never gave it much credence, until this moment. "Bella, I would like to try something, if you are okay with it."

"Of course," Bella replied before opening her shield and pulling me inside of it. "Y _ou have no idea how much I would love to hear your thoughts for change_ ," she finished in thought.

The glorious feeling of being inside Bella's shield enveloped me. I lowered my forehead to hers and closed my eyes. I relaxed and pictured myself falling deeper into Bella's mind. It was like I was trying to have her soul touch mine.

" _If I could dream, sweet Bella, they would all be of you_ ," I said mentally.

Bella gasped, but did not break contact with me or close her shield. " _I used to dream of you all of the time, Edward. Now I get to live the dream._ " Bella replied in thought. " _This feels amazing! Tell me something else._ "

" _I use to hate the idea of eternity_ ," I mentally told her. " _Although I enjoyed being with my family, all I could I see was a future of being alone. I was not in a good place. Then, the day you were born, I was reborn as well. I left to go find myself and make peace with my new existence. Then one day, while standing in the Seattle Airport, I looked into your eyes and all of that changed. Now, I know that only eternity will be long enough to properly show you how much I love you._ "

" _I love you too, Edward. So very much._ " Bella replied. " _I agree that eternity may be just long enough to love you as well._ "

Keeping the deep connection with Bella was not easy, but it also felt natural. Now that I knew what to do, I was sure with some practice I could manage to keep this up for more than a few moments.

" _You never had a problem keeping it up before_ ," Bella mentally teased, before she flooded me with several sultry thoughts. The instant my libido reacted to Bella's wonderfully erotic images, she flipped me over onto my back and kissed me senseless.

" _Kind of brings a new meaning to dirty talk_ ," Bella thought as she started to peel the clothes from my body.

" _I love your dirty little thoughts, love_." I mentally replied before I started to return the favor and undress Bella. There would be time later to explore and figure out the limitations of our new way of communicating.

" _Yes, much later_ ," Bella added.

* * *

We kept our two-way connection going through most of our love making. It was intimate and stimulating, and I looked forward to repeat performances. Now Bella and I were walking hand-in-hand back to our cabin.

"You may be very prim and proper on the outside, Edward," Bella said nudging me with her shoulder. "But during sex your thoughts are downright dirty. Actually, shockingly filthy!"

I stopped and looked at Bella with a frown. "I'm sorry, love. I never meant to be disrespectful or offensive." I looked away from Bella and shook my head. "I've spent eighty-eight years listening to other people thoughts. You would think I would know to control what passes through my mind once the tables were turned."

"Edward, look at me."

I slowly looked back towards Bella. She gave me a sad smile as she reached up to cup my cheek. Upon her touch, I was pulled into her shield until we could both hear each other's mind.

" _You did not offend me, Edward, and I did not mean to make you feel bad. I was just teasing you a bit. I loved hearing all of your wickedly erotic thoughts. You know I did! They drove me wild! Plus, you've heard my thoughts during sex. I can be just as dirty."_ Bella caressed my cheek and smiled. " _Edward, you have told me to never apologize for my thoughts. You need to do the same._ "

I looked at Bella and saw nothing but sincerity in her eyes.

" _Of course I'm being sincere!_ " Bella said as she swatted my arm playfully before turning serious. " _If we are going to share our thoughts, we both need to stop apologizing for what we think. This is a special gift we get to share. I promise to let you know if something you're thinking offends or upsets me. If you promise the same, then we should be able to enjoy this new level of closeness._ "

I sighed and nodded my head. Bella was right. This was a gift and we should enjoy it.

" _I know I'm right!_ " Bella replied before giggling at me and my inability to grasp that she could read my mental musings. " _How the tables have indeed turned! I like it!_ "

I shook me head and laughed at the irony this new gift of ours had ushered in. The tables have been turned and I was getting a dose of my own mind-reading medicine.

Once we reached our cabin, Bella sniffed the air and cocked her brow in confusion. "Were we expecting Carlisle and Esme?" She asked.

"No, love. They were just dropping off a little surprise for you."

Bella stopped and grabbed my arm. "Edward, I thought we agreed that there would be no gifts this birthday."

"Yes, you and I agreed that there would be no gifts, but Esme didn't. She wanted to get you something you have been missing, at least for the last couple of months." I opened the cabin door and motioned for Bella to enter. "Come on, love. I promise you'll like this."

Bella scowled as she walked by me, mumbling about Esme having no respect for her wishes. Inside, on the coffee table, sat a box expertly wrapped in festive "Happy Birthday" paper.

"You realize, whatever is inside I will probably break _,_ " she told me, before she picked up the gift and lightly shook it. After she was satisfied that it did not seem like something fragile, she tore the wrapping paper off.

Bella looked at the cardboard box and smiled. "Is this what I think it is?"

"Open the lid to find out, love." I told her.

She hesitated a brief movement before she carefully opened the lid. Upon seeing the new black Converse Chucks, Bella squealed in delight. "Oh my god! I have missed these so much!"

Bella pulled one of the shoes from the box and ran her hand over it lovingly. She gingerly grasped the shoelace between her fingers before she stopped and looked up at me.

"These feel different, Edward. They look like Chucks but something is off."

I walked over and took the other shoe from the box and held it up in the air. "Esme, with Alice's help of course, had these custom made for you, love. The canvas has been reinforced with kevlar threads and the shoelace grommets are titanium. The shoelaces also have been reinforced and the sole is made out of tougher material that should hold up better while you're running."

Bella sat down and slipped off her current hiking boots. She carefully spread the shoe open and slide in onto foot. She paused for a moment and glanced up at me. I nodded for her to continue so she gently puled on the laces and tied a perfect knot.

"Wow!" Bella exclaimed. She was clearly happy that she was able to tie the shoe without destroying it. "These are great! Where did she get these?"

"As you have heard, Alice has a lot of contacts in the fashion industry. So, Esme worked with Alice to have Converse make you six pairs of these."

"Really!" Bella exclaimed as she looked around for the other shoes. I handed her the second shoe and nodded.

"I believe the rest are upstairs," I replied. Bella glanced up towards the bedroom and smiled before she put on the remaining shoe. She then stood up and admired her birthday gift.

"Love, as I've told you before, our family is extremely hard on clothes. Shoes in particular. When I told Esme you destroyed you favorite pair of Chucks, she knew exactly what to have made. I believe she also had some custom shoes made for Charlie as well." Bella puled her gaze away from her shoes and gave me a questioning look. "Yeah, Irina told me your dad destroyed a few pairs as well. It happens. In fact, given our strength and the speed at which we can run, we all have some custom shoes that have been engineered with durability in mind. Even some of Rose's and Alice's heals have been upgraded."

Bella flexed her toes and lifted herself up on the balls of feet. "I love them! I can't wait to thank Esme. These are perfect. Perhaps I can get her to find me some stronger jeans and hoodies as well."

I looked away so Bella would not see my guilty smirk. Little did Bella know that besides the extra five pairs of shoes upstairs, Esme also restocked Bella's decimated collection of comfort clothes. Many of which did have newborn-friendly durability upgrades.

* * *

 _ **Author's Notes...**_

 _ **Hello! I am sorry about the delay in getting this chapter published. Lots of work related deliverables popped up that I needed to get them done.**_

 _ **I am SOOOOO excited to announce that Only The Lonely has been nominated within the "Favorite Drop Everything Fic" category of the TwiFic Fandom Awards! I am humbled and honored by this nomination. I promise to not make a habit of asking this, but please visit the TwiFic Fandom Awards web site and vote for your favorites. twificfandomawards . blogspot p**_

 _ **Thank you for reading and reviewing. On Friday we'll see what happens when Bella has her first human encounter...yikes!**_

 _ **-Chris**_


	67. Chapter 67

~ Denali National Park, Alaska - November 16, 2005 ~

I reached out and caressed Bella's cheek. It was now almost an instinctual reaction for her to open her shield when we touched. Likewise, I opened up my mind as well so we could share each other's thoughts.

" _We don't have to do this today, love. If you are not ready, we can wait. There is no rush on doing this._ "

" _I know, but I want to do this. I want to try. I think I'm ready._ " Bella replied back. She looked cautiously off into the distance, where five miles away was the George Parks Highway.

Bella wanted to start acclimating herself to humans. I knew this was important to her. So after a lot of family discussion, planning, and validation through Alice's visions, it was decided that taking Bella close to the Parks Highway would be the safest way for her to experience how enticing humans smell. The plan would be to approach the highway in careful increments until Bella could just start to smell the humans. Given that it was snowing, not many vehicles would be on the highway, and the frigid temperatures would mean that the few vehicles on the road would have their windows closed tightly. This should mean that Bella would only be subjected to a faint amount of human scent. As a further safety measure, I would wrap her up in my arms, plus Rose and Emmett would be positioned between us and the highway.

" _Ok then, love. Lets go do a quick hunt, then it should be time to meet Rose and Emmett._ "

* * *

Bella and I walked closer to the highway until we were about a half mile away from it. Her hunt ended quicker than we expected, so we reached our planned meeting point early. I could not yet hear Rose and Emmett's thoughts. There wasn't any consistent cell phone coverage in this park of Alaska, so I brought our satellite phone. However, even that phone only worked when we were higher up, out of the canopy of trees.

After about five minutes, I picked up my first human thoughts since Bella's change. I doubted Bella would be able to smell them, but I wrapped my arms around her as a precaution. Bella stiffened in my arms as her shield closed tight. I was expecting this, as she wanted to be focused on her senses, rather than allowing me access to her mind.

"There is a vehicle coming north-bound," I whispered calmly into Bella's ear. "They should be too far away for you to pickup their scent."

Bella nodded and breathed in a ragged breath. "Tell me about the them," she asked. As Carlisle advised her, she was trying to focus on the vehicle passengers as people with lives worth living, rather than a source of delectable blood. Given the quiet forest around us, we both could now hear the vehicle approaching.

"Its a mother and her two children. The children's names are Robbie and Sarah." I replied as I listened to their thoughts. "The children are bickering back and forth over who should get the last of the cookies the mother brought for them. They hare heading north to Cantwell." I paused while the mother reached back and grabbed the bag containing the cookie. As the mother secured the bag, she glanced back at the road just in time to see an arctic fox dart across the highway. She shrieked in surprise and jerked the steering wheel to avoid the animal. Her truck skidded on the snow covered surface. I wrapped Bella tighter as I mentally followed the frantic thoughts of the mother as she tried to control the vehicle. Unfortunately, she over corrected too much, which caused the truck to snap sideways and careen down the berm of the highway. Near the bottom, the front wheel dug hard into the snow covered earth, and given the inertia of the vehicle, it flipped onto its roof and slid brutally into several trees.

Bella gasped as she heard each part of the accident I witnessed through the thoughts of the passengers. The sounds of shattering glass and crushed metal mixed with the screams of the children in the vehicle. The mother was knocked unconscious upon the final upside-down impact. Luckily the children were buckled securely into their seats, but they were scared and hurt.

"We have to help them!" Bella yelled out as she tried to break my grip. I held her as tight as I could while I tried to move us away from the highway. "No!" She screamed. "They need help!"

"Bella, I have to get you out of here!" I pleaded. There is blood!"

"I don't care!" Bella roared before she set her feet and started dragging us back towards the accident. A beat later the scent of human blood and gasoline hit us. For me it was faint, but for Bella it was like a sledgehammer. A feral hiss escaped her as she doubled her efforts to break out of my grip, however this time it was fueled not by concern, but by Bella's bloodlust.

"Bella, you must listen to me!" I cried out over her snarls. "They're a family! They were eating cookies on their way to see their Grandfather!"

I swept Bella's legs while I jerked us backwards into the air, crashing us into a tree. The impact broke Bella's bloodlust focus for an instant. It was long enough for her to hear the children sobbing while they pleaded with their mother to wake up. Bella froze in my arms before settling her wild eyes upon mine.

"We need to go," I whispered. "Please, let me get you away from here."

Bella looked back towards the accident. The smell of blood and gasoline was getting stronger as it got picked up in the light breeze. The look on her face changed from that of a crazed newborn to sad resignation, before nodding in ascent.

In a flash I lifted Bella and darted further into the woods. After a couple of seconds Bella reached up and touched my cheek as her shield lifted.

" _Edward, stop! Please!_ " She nearly sobbed. The strength of her emotions and convictions was startling, so I complied.

Bella sighed and allowed her shield to slam shut. She was too strung out to keep it open.

"Edward, you need to go back and help them," she whispered. "We can't let them die. I promise to move further into the woods. Really, I will. But you need to go help them."

I was torn between my conflicting desires. I knew Bella was right that the family needed help. But I also needed to make sure Bella was away from here.

"Please! Please go help them!" She begged. The desperate look on her face made it clear what I had to do.

"Ok," I told her as I handed her the satellite phone. "Go back up the mountain, Bella. Get to clear sky and then use the satellite phone can call emergency services in Cantwell. I will go help them."

Bella nodded and ran away, while I ran towards the accident. At my top speed, I reached the vehicle in less than a minute. The smell of blood and gasoline were both strong, but the gasoline was the most bothersome. One stray spark and the the truck could ignite.

I slowed as I approached the vehicle. "Hello!" I called out. "I am here to help!"

"We're in here!" The oldest boy cried while his younger sister sobbed for her unconscious mother.

I looked over the vehicle, and quickly found the source of the gasoline smell. Luckily it appeared to not be from the main vehicle fuel tank, but rather from a separate 5 gallon gas can that was thrown from the vehicle during the accident. I quickly kicked the can into the woods to minimize its danger, before assessing the state of the vehicle. Although the truck was upside down and laying on its roof, the passenger cabin seemed largely intact, except for the all of the shattered glass. The doors on the driver's side of the vehicle were up against the tress and crumpled, so the passenger side seemed the best way to get the humans from the vehicle.

I leaned down and looked into the car. "I am going to get you out," I told the children. "It will be ok." The little girl, Sarah, was closest to me and she was crying her for her mother. Her little body hurt from being held upside down in the car seat, but otherwise she was fine. Her brother, Robbie, was still held in his seat as well. During the impact, he injured his left shoulder, most likely it was either dislocated or broken. Fighting through the pain he felt, Robbie was struggling get his seat belt to disengage, but it would not unclasp.

With very little effort I torn the rear passenger door from the vehicle and tossed it aside. I needed to get the kids away from the truck as soon as could, so I had no time to worry about appearances, although neither child really registered what I had just done. An instant later I torn the little girl's seat restraints like they were tissue and eased her from the the vehicle. The moment Sarah was in my grasp, she flung her arms around my neck and held on to me as tightly as she could. She sobbed into my chest, as I moved her over near the trees. When I tried to put her down, she held on tighter to me and would not let go. She was afraid, cold, and still in shock over the accident.

"Sarah?" I whispered to the little girl. "I need to go get your brother and mother out of the car, ok?" I looked into little Sarah's eyes and gave her my most reassuring smile. "I need you to be a big girl and wait right here for me, ok? Can you do that for me?" I asked her.

Sarah's bottom lip trembled. She didn't want to let me go, but she also knew her brother and mother were still trapped. Finally, she took a deep breath and nodded her head as she whispered, "ok".

I gently eased her down. "I'll be right back," I told her before I crawled back under the car.

Robbie was is pain, but he still struggled to get his seat belt undone.

"Robbie, your sister is safe. Now, I'm going get you out, ok." I told him.

"Ok." He answered. "What about my mom? Is she…" Now that he knew he was going to be fine, his thoughts quickly turned to his mother. Since she was not moving, he was worried she was dead. Her heart was till beating, but I could smell her blood, and it was strong. She was injured, I just couldn't tell how badly.

"Your mom is alive, but hurt. Once I get you out, I will take care her next. Ok?"

"Yeah, ok," he replied. He was still very worried, but he was glad to hear she was not dead.

I placed arm around Robbie's back to support him before I tore his seat belt buckle from the locking mechanism. He cried out in pain as I shifted him in the tight space. I gently eased him out of the vehicle before taking him over to where his sister stood. I put him down next to Sarah. The moment he was out of my arms, Sarah hugged him. Robbie flinched in pain, but wrapped his good arm around his sister. In his mind he knew his little sister needed her big brother to be strong for her, so he blinked away his own tears. "It'll be alright," he told her. "I got you."

I went back over to the truck. There was no way I would be able to extract the mother from the passenger side, so I would need to move the truck. This was easy enough to do, but Robbie and Sarah would witness it. Before I moved the vehicle, I wanted to check on the mother's condition. I bent down and put my head into the opening where the driver's side window use to be. The mother's seat belt held her in place, but the steering wheel was pressed tightly against her torso. The mother's head was bleeding, but the main source of blood was coming from her leg, where a piece of metal from the door had gone into her thigh. The obstruction was currently limiting her loss of blood, but once I got her out, I would need to close the leg wound quickly or she most likely bleed to death.

From behind the children, I heard someone approaching. Given the lack of thoughts, I knew it had to be Bella, however her approach was slow, almost leisurely. Given the heavy scent of blood in the air, this was a disaster in the making. I pulled myself from the truck and calculated how I could get between her and the family. Just before she came through the woods, I suddenly felt connected to Bella. It was was as if we were touching, but somehow she was able to wrap her shield around me from a distance, and grant me access to her thoughts. Previously, she had never been able to bring me inside her shield without some type of physical connection. Given the current circumstance, I was stunned at this new manifestation of her gift.

" _I couldn't stay away, Edward. I needed to know that everyone was ok._ " Bella mentally pleaded with me. " _I called emergency services, they'll be here when they can. However, with the snow, it might be some time._ "

Bella breathed in a tiny breath, just enough to sample the air. She stiffened as the aroma of blood hit her, causing her throat to explode into fiery need. Bella's hands shook from the effort needed to endure the blood's siren scent, but incredibly she did not attack. She continued to concentrate all of her effort on stretching out her shield to me, rather than allowing her beast to satisfy its raging bloodlust. This singular focus of keeping her connection with me going somehow grounded her.

In my eight-seven years as a vampire, I never took the time or effort to try and evolve my gift. However, since Bella's change, I had made some small strides in expanding it, but even that was limited to allowing my thoughts to be heard by Bella only when we touched and we both focused. Now, for the sake of this family in need, I needed my gift's power to be more. So much more.

I relaxed and opened my mind to her. I focused on her incoming thoughts and I tried to push mine to hers. At first nothing happened. I squeezed my eyes shut and concentrated directly on Bella with everything I could muster. I hoped it would be enough and that she would be able to hear me like I could hear her.

" _Bella, you need to leave. You're in pain and Mom is bleeding._ " I thought. " _I can't protect the children from you and save the Mom._ "

Bella gasped at hearing me. " _I can feel you! I can hear you!_ " she thought. " _It's like we are touching. How are you doing this?_ " She took another tiny breath. " _Edward, I promise to stay where I am at. I won't come any closer. How are the children? They have to be so scared, plus it is cold. They must be freezing._ " I could clearly see in her thoughts, the idea of hurting this family while they were in need, was so repugnant…so absolutely wrong…Bella would never allow herself to act upon her vampire urges…at least not today. I glanced over at the children, Bella was right they were cold and scared.

" _They're ok, Robbie's shoulder is hurt, but Sarah is fine._ " I answered. " _Bella, If you feel yourself start to slip, just run away as fast as you can. You have to think of the children. Promise you will run far away if it becomes too much._ "

From further in the woods, I, and by proxy, Bella, heard the thoughts of Emmett and Rose coming. When they got to our original planned meeting place, they smelled the faint scent of human blood and were worried that Bella had slipped. Then they ran towards the highway as fast as they could. Both Bella and I were pleased with their timing.

" _Reinforcements are coming, but I promise I will run if it gets too much, Edward. It's a good thing I don't need to breath, now get the Mom._ "

A couple seconds later, Rose and Emmett reached Bella. Before they could ask what happened. She just pointed towards the highway and whispered, "There was an accident, Edward needs help." They looked at Bella for a quick moment before walking through the wood line.

Once they saw the wreckage and the children, both of them ask the same mental question. " _What the fuck happened here?_ " Followed by both of them wondering how Bella was able to be so close to the smell of blood. Both Rose and Emmett's throats were on fire, but they had control over their bloodlust.

Robbie and Sarah caught Rose and Emmett's arrival in their peripheral vision. When they did, the startled children shrieked and looked wide-eyed at my siblings, whom seemed to appear out of nowhere to them.

As I was removing Sarah and Robbie from the truck, I remember seeing a woolen blanket in the backseat area of the vehicle. I darted down and pulled the blanket out, before shaking out any debris or glass that may have been caught in the fabric.

"Sarah, Robbie," I called out to them as I approached with the blanket. "This Rose and Emmett. They are with me." I continued as I handed Rose the blanket. "Rose, these two brave kids are Sarah and Robbie. Can you see if that blanket can warm them up while Emmett and I help their mother?" I added in a whisper just for Rose, "Watch out for Robbie's left shoulder area, it might be broken."

Rose nodded, then smiled softly at the obviously surprised children before she held out the blanket. "Come and allow me to wrap this around you," she told them.

Sarah looked up her brother to see if it was safe. Robbie looked at Rose for moment before nodding and walking toward the extended blanket.

Rose kneeled behind the kids and held the blanket around them, while I motioned for Emmett to follow me over to the truck.

"Rose, distract them for a second," I whispered.

She looked over at me, before she leaned forward and asked "Are you both starting to warm up?"

When the children turned to respond to Rose, I gently pushed the truck away from the trees, while at the same time I tore away and discarded the driver's side door.

" _Smooth_ ," Emmett thought before he saw the body of the children's mother unconscious in the truck. " _Fuck, she's bleeding pretty bad._ "

I nodded in response before I glanced quickly back at the woods where Bella stood hidden about twenty yards away. Emmett glanced as well, he knew what I was asking.

" _Don't worry, dude. If Bella freaks out, I make sure to get her out of here._ "

I nodded one more time before I turned my attention back to the truck. Now that I had access to drivers side, I ducked down and gently shook the mother's shoulder to determine her responsiveness. She moaned and moved her head a bit, but she was still unconscious. I decided that the best course of action would be to simultaneously tear through her seatbelt and remove her from the vehicle with one hand, while I pulled the metal from her thigh with my other. So with one quick movement, I did both actions. This movement caused the mother to wake up and cry out in pain, before she passed back out again.

Behind me, the children called out for their mother as the smell of blood saturated the air. The leg wound started to gush rhythmically indicating that the artery was cut. Both Rose and Emmett froze as the strong scent assaulted them. Somewhere in the back of my mind I registered the delectable smell, but I had no time to deal with my beast. I had to get the bleeding under control fast or the mother would die.

Using the torn seat belt and tied it around the Mother's leg to act as a tourniquet. This would help stem the bleeding, but it would only be a short term fix. From my medical degrees, I knew how to properly suture the artery, but I did not have the required tools and supplies here in a ditch, nestled in the frozen Alaskan wilderness.

There was only one thing I could think of doing, and given no other viable option, I gently spread part the leg wound with one hand, while I licked the tip of my finger on the other hand.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Emmett asked in shock. "Won't that change her?"

I didn't stop to answer Emmett.

I shook my finger in the air to allow most of the venom to evaporate. When I could just detect the slightest trace amount of venom left, I pressed my finger into the wound and dragged it along the torn section of artery. The Mother arched her back in pain but I was able to keep her leg stationary as the venom worked to seal the artery. After a few seconds I could see that the large vein had a slight silver cast to it, but no more tear. I slowly released the seat belt tourniquet. As the blood started to flow back down into her leg, the repaired artery held. Part of me was tempted to repair the tissue damage to her leg in similar fashion, but that would require a larger and riskier dose of venom, and make for an awkward explanation as to why a portion of thigh would forever sparkle.

I glanced around at the strewn wreckage and spotted and small fishing tackle box.

"Emmett, grab me that tackle box," I told my brother. He nodded and quickly retrieved the box and opened it for me. Inside was exactly what I was looking for. I pulled out the spool of fishing line and inspected it. It appeared to be new and relatively dirt free. I tore off out a suitable length of line. I again wetted my finger and thumb with venom and ran it down the fishing line, effective sanitizing it. I needed it to dry for a few moments, so I turned to Emmett.

"I saw in Carlisle's thoughts that he did something similar a couple of decades ago while he was working a shift in the E.R. If I had used too little venom, nothing would have happened. Too much and I could have started a chain reaction that would lead to us having another newborn to deal with." I confessed quietly to Emmett with slight wink.

"Well, that was pretty fucking bad-ass!" Emmett told me, before glancing back to see if the kids heard him curse. " _I think the next college go around, I need to go to med school,_ " he finished in his thoughts.

I gave him a slight smirk before I returned my focus to the mother's leg. She was starting to stir and her eyes were fluttering open. I wanted to close her leg would before she could comprehend what I was doing. With vampire quick movements I sewed up the leg wound as best I could. Luckily with my acute eyesight and superior dexterity, I was able to push the fishing line through the tissue without the use of a needle, which we didn't have anyway. In two seconds seconds I was done and looked down at my handiwork. There would still be some residual bleeding, but nothing as bad as before.

All too soon the Mother's eyes flew completely open and she screamed out her children's names in both pain and worry.

"Shhh," I soothed. "Both Robbie and Sarah are ok."

The mother looked at me trying to comprehend what had happened. She remembered the fox and the car veering off the road. She remembered the pain of the collision with the tree and hearing her children calling for her. "What…how…" the mother stammered through her pain.

"We found you after the wreck. Robbie and Sarah are ok. They're safe." I motioned for Rose to bring the children closer so the mother could see them. "See?" The mother glanced upwards and reached for her children. They sprinted from Rose and hugged their mother as best they could. Robbie flinched and yelped in pain when his shoulder pressed against his mother. Her eyes darted to me, she was worried about her children.

"Robbie's shoulder is hurt." I answered her un-asked question. "His collarbone may be broken, but otherwise fine. Sarah is probably bruised from the seat belts, but no other serious injuries. Both of them have been extremely brave." I looked at the children and smiled while Emmett gave them both a thumbs up. "Your leg is pretty torn up, but you should be fine." I looked at the highway. Not a single vehicle had passed since the wreck, and given the snow, I wasn't really surprised. "We called for help up in Cantwell," I started to tell her just I picked up the thoughts of ambulance crew slowly approaching. "I think they should be be here soon."

Everyone looked up the highway for some evidence of their pending arrival. I felt Bella's connection with me open. " _I'm going to leave,_ " she told me mentally before darting away through the forest. Rose and Emmett both heard Bella's departure and mentally sighed in relief.

" _I am amazed at her composure, Edward_ ," Rose thought. " _I was starting doubt I would be able to handle the scent of the mother's blood. I don't know how she did it._ "

Off in the distance, the three remaining vampires just started to pickup the siren of the approaching ambulance.

* * *

Rose and Emmett darted away from me to go for a much needed hunt. They would stop by our cabin in a day or two to see how Bella was doing after today's events.

Once the emergency medical personnel arrived, they assessed the family and were amazed that I was able to stabilize the mother. I explained that I had medical training, as well as my father was a surgeon. They were also curious as to why Rose, Emmett and I were out roaming the Alaskan wilderness during a snow storm. Rose batted her eyes at the two EMTs, and subtly breathed across their faces, which momentarily made them lose focus. She then explained that we were out training for a new survival reality show we were hoping to get picked for. It was an excuse they had used before, and luckily the two men accepted it without any further explanation.

Once the mother and children were secure and warm in the ambulance, they asked for my contact information, should the hospital have any questions concerning my makeshift medical care. I gave them the number for the satellite phone, as well as Carlisle's contact information, however I doubted the attending hospital doctors would ever call us.

As I moved quickly up into the mountains, I picked up Bella's scent. After another few moments, I picked up the scent of fresh animal blood. I sniffed the air and recognized the distinct aroma of Dall sheep. After another few moments I slowed, so I would not startle Bella. This was the first time she hunted without me or one of my family with her.

"Edward?" I heard Bella call out as I stepped over the carcass of one Dall sheep ram.

"Coming, Love," I replied as I jogged through the brush to where Bella sat next to another drained ram.

As soon as Bella looked up and saw me, she sprinted into my arms.

"Thank you, Edward for saving that family," She whispered against me chest. "And thank you for allowing me to stay. Thinking back on everything, I know it was foolish for me to come back to the accident site. I wanted to be with you to help them, but I knew I couldn't. But I couldn't stay away, I had to know they were ok."

I lifted Bella's face and kissed her gently. Soon, I had to surpress the growl that begged to be released, as I tasted the sheep blood mixed with Bella's own tempting flavor.

"Bella, don't take this the wrong way, but I would rather you had not returned. However, I understand why you did. You amazed me today, Love. Even Rose and Emmett were struggling against the smell of blood. And you did help, Bella. You helped a lot. I may have directly aided the mother and children, but given the frigid temperatures, if you had not called for help, they would not have withstood the elements for very long. Given this was your first exposure to humans, and more importantly, to human blood, your focus and determination to see that they were safe was simply amazing."

This time Bella reached up and kissed me. It was a needy and aggressive kiss, and I loved it. However, I was not unaffected by my close exposure to human blood. I knew I needed to to hunt, so I gently pulled away from Bella's sinful lips, and sighed.

"Bella, I need to hunt, but then I promise we will continue that kiss."

Bella's gazed darker with lust and nodded. "I'm holding you to that," she said as she squeezed my rear end. "And then after I've had my way with you, you need to tell me what happened when the ambulance arrived."

"Deal," I answered with a smile as I felt Bella's shield lower and our minds connect."

" _And you need to tell me how I was able to hear your thoughts without us touching,_ " she mentally added.

I would be glad to, if I actually fully understood it myself.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note...**_

 _ **Well, Bella had her first human encounter and it was a doozie! I've been on that stretch of highway in Alaska, but it was in the summer. However, in the winter it can easily become deadly! A perusal of the Alaska State Trooper records show that animal strikes and disabled vehicles, with the subsequent exposure to the elements, have claimed more than a few lives.**_

 _ **As I mentioned last week, Only The Lonely has been nominated within the "Favorite Drop Everything Fic" category of the TwiFic Fandom Awards! I cannot thank each and every one of my readers enough. Voting for round 1 has ended, so we'll see if this story makes it to round 2 in a few days.**_

 _ **I will try my best to publish again next Monday. I have some JASNA related stuff happening this week (I am one of the regional coordinators within the Jane Austen Society of North America and I have a regional Board of Directors meeting coming up that I have to prepare for). In the next chapter, you'll get to see the entire family (including Charlie, Irina, and the Denali's) together again.**_

 _ **-Chris**_


End file.
